The Snape Twins
by SouthernMFDemocraticRepublican
Summary: A boy marked by lightning. A girl marked with tears. There was no telling what would happen when they took on the most important adventure of their lives. School. Defiantly straying from the original story- but in the best way where I hate killing characters off (:
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Clock Chimes One

"Do you think it will come _today?" _ Ten year old Harry droned from the couch where he laid with his hand covering his face, the same spot he had occupied waiting for the mail since the first of June that summer.

"I don't know Hare. We'll just have to wait and see."

His mother looked with love at her son when suddenly an owl swooped down the family living room chimney.

"The mail's here Mama!"

"I hear calm down." With that the boys mother walked over to the perch set next to the opening of the chimney and took the letters out of the pouch of the owl and handed him a treat from the bag hanging off the perch.

"Mama?"

"Let's see here," the woman snickered at the frown of her son, "Bill, advertisement, bill, letter from Great Aunt Millicent, and what is this? Mr. Harry Snape…"

Suddenly Harry jumped up and tried to snatch the letter from his mother's hand, who swiftly lifted the letters in her hand above her head and out of the reach of her son.

"Not so fast Harry, get your sister."

With a grumble Harry went up the stairs to his room to fetch his sister, who was reading _The History of Magic_ very contently until her brother burst into the room.

A few moments later two sets of footsteps were heard running down the hall and staircase back to the sitting room.

The mother looked at her daughter, seeing her oxfords on and knowing that she was ready to go get her school supplies at a moment's notice, and has probably gone through the same routine for most of the summer as her brother had his own.

"Mama can I see it?"

"Of course, why don't you two go read your letters and I'll floo Mrs. Weasley to see if they are going to get their supplies today as well."

She gave her kids the letters with their names scrawled across the front and they walked out of the room to the dining room, where they sat in their seats right next to each other and carefully broke the seal holding their future.

"This is so cool." Harry said as his fingers graced across the letter now open in front of him.

"Only a few more weeks." Harlow said with a dreamy look on her face.

Just then their mother walked into the room.

"Mrs. Weasley says the kids are ready when we are, Harlow why don't you go see if your father wants to come with us and meet us back at the chimney?

"I doubt he'll want to stop his work." Harlow said, happily walking to her Papa's study where he had been working on something or another for work.

Harlow raised her hand up and knocked three times quickly on her father's study door.

From somewhere inside her father's voice rang out, "Enter."

Harlow walked into the study and down the stairs to find her Papa sitting at the desk in the center or the room with a huge streak of some powder across his face and a multitude of other ingredients to his latest potion across his clothes.

"Papa our letters came."

A huge smile spread across her father's face when he looked up at her, "That's fantastic news. Well we'll have to go to Diagon Alley right away!"

"You mean you'll come?"

"Of course, how could I miss such an important event?"

"I don't know, I just figured you would want to keep working. What are you doing anyway?"

Harlow didn't recognize the ingredient list as any potions she knew of.

"It's a new version of the Skele-Gro potion that won't have that horrible taste. Students are refusing it after quidditch incidents because of it."

"Why not make it so it doesn't hurt?"

"Harlow, this potion re-grows bone, it's always going to hurt. The real question is why the taste is such a big deal to the students."

Harlow laughed a little, "I guess so. Though, if I'd known that rejecting it was an option when I have broom accidents I would say no too."

Snape rolled his eyes but a smile still played on his mouth.

"But Mama and Harry are probably waiting for us, we should go."

"Well we mustn't keep them waiting, Merlin knows what they'll get into."

With a laugh, Harlow pulls her father out of the room and through the house back into the sitting room.

When they arrive they see that Harry has abandoned the room.

"He went to get his shoes, Harlow go grab your cloak. We're going to meet the Weasleys there and have dinner with them later."

As Harlow left the room the two watched them go. Each had matching smiles on their faces. Then Lily turned to her husband.

"You look like hell, did you sleep last night?"

"I don't think so."

"You know Madame Pomfrey won't be upset if you don't get the potion done before school?"

"I know, I just don't want to disappoint her."

"Sev, you don't have to keep proving yourself to people."

"_Lily_."

"No, Severus Snape you should not continue to think that people can't give up the past.

Hell, if I couldn't do you think I would have married you?"

Snape looked down at the ground, to ashamed of his past to even explain how he felt about it.

"Sev." Lily's voice was shaky, knowing she had hit a soft spot, "What you did or did not do in your past is done. The person you are now makes up for any mistake you have ever made. No silly name you have ever called me can reduce the love I hold for you. And besides, who would ever be able to care for a child like the way you do for our's, especially Harlow. You're practically a god to her."

At that Snape smiled and laughed thinking about his daughter. He will always say that he loves both of his children equally, but to say that he has a soft spot for his daughter, especially when she gives him her best puppy-dog eyes, would be an understatement.

* * *

Upstairs the two children whispered back and forth to each other as they ran around to grab their jackets and bags.

"So you'll ask Mama to get an owl and we can both use it?"

"Yep, and you'll ask Papa for a cat and we'll trade off rooms?"

"Yeah. Ron told me last time I saw him that Mrs. Weasley was getting Percy his own owl, maybe we can ask then."

"His own owl, why can't he share?"

"Who knows, Percy's kind of a prat. Though, Ron told me that he was bragging about becoming prefect of Gryffindor. Wouldn't that be awful? He'll think we'll actually listen to him. That's if it's even true."

"Harry can I tell you something?"

"Duh."

"Twin swear you won't tell anyone, especially Mom and Dad."

Harry twisted his fingers into a double cross and then Harlow joined him nodded.

"I don't think I'm going to be in Gryffindor."

"What, are you crazy? Of course you'll be in Gryffindor."

"I don't know, I just, _they_ weren't Gryffindors, what if I end up like them."

"Well, Ravenclaw wouldn't be that bad, but God forbid you're in Hufflepuff, Papa will never talk to you."

"I know. I just don't know whether that plays a factor. And since no one will tell us about the sorting, I just, I don't want Mama and Papa to be disappointed in me."

"Hare, when have they ever been disappointed in you?"

"I guess." Harlow's smile seemed to grow on her face as she realized how stupid she was being.

"Can I ask you something, as long as we're under the twin swear?"

"Sure." Her smile fell a little as she saw the look of concern on his face.

"Do you think I'm good enough to be on the quidditch team?"

Harlow started laughing at her brother's question, "Really, you can't ask that to Mama or Papa? But yes, you're already ten times faster on a broom than me, and James was a huge quidditch star."

"He was, I just don't know. I think I wanna play, not now, or course, but maybe in second or third year. And please, you play ten times better."

"Well I had to start early if I want to be the best beater Hogwarts has ever seen"

"Well, you will be, even if you have no friends cause we're all in Gryffindor."

"Oh please, we all know people like me more than you."

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

Then their mother called up the stairs that the Weasleys were waiting and they headed downstairs with their letters in hand and were in the living room ready to go.

"Took you long enough." Snape, magically cleaned up, said smiling at the excitement splayed across his children's faces.

One by one they went into the fireplace and were shot up. And one by one they landed in The Leaky Cauldron, where they were greeted by the family of redheads.

Shouts of 'Harry' and ''Low' came from the family as one by one they were hugged by each member, except the eldest child present.

Percival Weasley puffed out his chest, proud to display his shiny badge and said, "I hope you two will respect me being your future prefect more than the likes of my own family.

"Hello Professor." And he reached out to shake the older man's hand.

Snape, hand grasped in the student's hand, answered "Weasley."

Meanwhile, the younger set of twins exchanged a look, and Harlow felt a blush creep up her neck. The older set of twins noticed. They knew what it was about. The feminine twin had always been their best friend, their prank mate, and most trusted confidant. And the three of them had a weird kind of intuition, almost as if she was a triplet in the group. And from an early age they knew she did not follow the pattern of the rest of their family.

"I doubt it." Ginny said, after a pause filled with a giggle from the youngest brother.

They moved from shop to shop, buying the things they needed when they finally arrived at Magical Menagerie.

Harry pulled his mother off to the side a little and Harlow pulled on her father's robe.

"Mama," Harry started, he had not really prepared for this conversation, "as you know my birthday is soon."

"Yes I remember, it is also your sister's. We go through that awful day once a year." His mother's smile and sarcastic tone was hard to miss.

"Yes, well, I've decided what could be the best gift, and I think that it would be best if I got it now."

"Really," his mother started, hands finding her hips real quickly, "and what would that be?"

"An owl."

"An owl?"

"Yeah." The boy's voice has gone meek and cowardly

"Well… I think that's a fantastic idea. But we mustn't make your sister jealous. She should get something too."

"I think she has that covered." His voice comes almost in a laugh. And she turned to see her husband walking towards her with such a look of pleading on his face.

"That poor man, what torture she must have put him through." She laughs a little at the smirk of satisfaction on her daughter's face.

"I'm pretty sure she only had to make her puppy eyes."

"Probably."

Her husband looked down to the ground, "Lily,"

"What does she want?" She smiled and laughed as she said it.

"A cat."

"A cat? I would have pegged her for a toad person, you can experiment on it." She glanced at her daughter questionably.

"Nope, a cat."

"Ok, well Harry wants an owl so we might as well, huh Sev."

"I guess so."

The family headed into the store and looked around, Harlow headed right for the cats, while Harry headed towards the owls.

Looking at the long line of cages where cats of all ages were stretching and eating and playing with each other. Harlow smiled at a few of them before a small voice came from behind her.

"First year?"

Harlow spun towards the voice to where an older witch with a bright smile on her face.

"Yep me and my twin brother."

"Cats are good companions for first years, are you looking for a cat or kitten?"

Harlow looked at the witch, "Do you work here? I've never seen you before." Harlow loved to look in the windows to see the animals in the shop.

"I own this shop dear. Me and _my_ twin, though a sister. I usually work in the back, I just had the feeling I needed to help someone here. So, cat or kitten?" The woman smiled even wider. Harlow did too.

"I think kitten."

The woman guided Harlow over to the end of the set of crates. She bent down towards the floor and Harlow followed close behind.

"This kitten was born just four days ago. Both her parents are gone, unfortunately. We had to separate her because she is so small and the others kept stepping on her. She needs a lot of love and support, do you think you can give that to her?"

Harlow looked at the kitten in front of her. She was black, her fur was patchy but the stark black pieces there were were bold.. Harlow couldn't see her eyes. But she remembered from her reading it would take nearly a week after birth for her to open her eyes. She had a scratch running down her head from ear to neck. The kitten was ugly, no one would deny.

But for some reason Harlow couldn't tear her eyes away from her.

But then a question came into her head, "how did you know I needed help?"

"I didn't, but you have a very peculiar scar pattern there, dear, that made me think…"

Harlow reached up to her face, where there were two identical streak marks from her eyes to her chin, faded from years of life but still bright white and stark against her olive skin.

Harlow went to ask a question before she was interrupted.

"Harlow?"

At the sound of her father's voice she startled, when she was able to compose herself she called back to him, "I'm back here Papa."

When he made his way back to where Harlow was standing he had a smile on his face,

"How's the search going? Anyone caught your fancy?"

"Yes Papa. This one." The old witch stood up.

At the sight of the witch's face Snape startled, "Oh, hello Evanora. What are you doing out of your office?"

"She was helping me find the perfect kitten, and I have." When Harlow pointed to the crate Snape bent down to look at the kitten, and his face softened immediately.

"Well she looks like she needs a lot of love."

* * *

Twenty minutes later the two families emerged. Two owl cages and a cat carrier in hand.

Percy's, a screech owl named Hermes.

Harry's Snowy owl he so eloquently named Hedwig.

Harlow's small black kitten, who she affectionately called Beatrice.

"Beatrice? Really where'd you get that from?"

Harlow, scared at the notion of rattling the fragile animal in her cage, held her in her arms, the cat no bigger than her hand, rubbing her head against her stomach where she held her close as she looked over to answer her friend, "A muggle play. She's the main character and is really awesome."

"I will never understand you, why do you bother reading stuff like that? We don't even read magic stories?"

Harlow laughed a little, "Because, George, you can learn a lot from the muggle world. The author is one of the most revered, Shakespeare, is his name And the story is really awesome. The villain stages an affair, the groom confronts the girl at their wedding, she fakes her death, they make up, and all the while Beatrice and Benedict are being set up by their friends. I think one could live by the phrase, "I would eat his heart in the marketplace!'"

George simply gave his friend a wild look before turning back to the group.

Then they heard a voice.

"Professor Snape!"

They turned around to see a Mr. Oliver Wood was the one who called out to his potions professor.

"Mr. Wood. Always a pleasure."

George leaned down to Harlow's ear, "That's Oliver Wood, grade-a suck up and captain of Gryffindor quidditch this year. Percy hates the guy."

Harlow gave a once over to the boy, from the twin's stories he played keeper, and he certainly had the physique for it. But as he nodded to the Weasley's he knew he didn't give a once over to Harlow or Harry.

"How has your summer been professor?"

"Wonderful, I'll see you on the first day of school."

Trying to turn away, Oliver caught a glimpse of Harry and Harlow, and she realized she had been partially hidden by her father's robes.

"Oh, these are your kids? You're going to be first years? Right?"

"Yeah." Harry said.

"And I suppose you want to be in your father's house?"

"No, they take after their mother." Snape's voice was simple and accented, his teacher's voice.

"Do you know how to fly?"

But Harlow wasn't paying attention anymore. Her thoughts started to whirl in a frenzy of what Oliver had just said.

_It isn't possible I could go to Slytherin, is it?_

So while Harry kept the conversation, talking about how he liked to be seeker if they had enough to play, Harlow slipped into her thoughts.

That thought had never gone through her head. Her Mama was a Gryffindor.

Of course Gael was a Hufflepuff.

And Emmett was a Ravenclaw.

She was mixed, most of her life was raised by a Gryffindor, but her genes had Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

But did she have any reason to believe that she would go to Slytherin.

Just the thought of living as a Slytherin made butterflies flit around her stomach. She wanted that.

But how would she get it?

"Are you okay?"

It was only when Fred asked her the question that she realized that she had started breathing a little heavier. Beatrice mewing from her hands shaking.

"Sorry, I just had a stupid thought."

"You'll make a great Slytherin you know."

"What?"

George joined their conversation next, "Fred, you can't spring that on someone!"

"Sorry, I just wanted to make you feel better about what Oliver said."

"So you guys don't mind that I won't be in Gryffindor." She whispered quietly even though they moved even further from where her father was now discussing the new year's potion curriculum with the oldest Weasley boy and the quidditch player.

"Course not, it's not like we won't see you. We can show you the map we found, we'll go to the kitchen, sneak into Hogsmeade-"

"Fred!"

"What, we do it all the time."

"That doesn't mean that I want to."

The three of them looked at each other. Eerily serious.

Then they all burst out laughing.

"I can't wait to see everything. Especially Hogsmeade."

"Well then you have befriended the right Weasleys."

"I'm not sure, I'm still convinced Percy might have been better."

"Please, don't insult us like that." The twins said in stereo.

"I'm sorry, but the facts are that I'm not sure that I shouldn't be on track to be Prefect."

Fred and George looked at her incredibly and then they all burst out in giggles.

"Besides, we can't all be beaters, I will have fun trying to knock you off your broom a few times though."

Fred gave her a serious look, he knew she could do that, "you wouldn't."

"But wouldn't I?"

"Harlow, Fred, George, time to go to Ollivander's." Mrs. Weasley shouted at the small group of children huddled around a few yards from the larger group.

The three kids ran over to the group, Harlow careful to keep her kitten straight. When they got there they all headed to the old wandmaker's shop.

Harlow had, of course, seen the shop before, and had been blessed with the gift to meet the owner of the shop, so when he jumped up from behind the counter she was not the least bit startled.

"Hello Mr. Ollivander!" Harry greeted happily to the smiling man.

"Hello Mr. Snape, and others. Why, we have quite a few wands to find tonight don't we?"

Mrs. Weasley frowned at the thought that she couldn't afford to get Ron a new wand, and instead was forced to make him reuse Percy's old one.

"Mrs. Weasley, I assure you there is no need to fret, you know I don't live off a salary, your boy's wand is on me."

"Mr. Ollivander, surely you know me."

"Of course Molly, and you know how it goes, the wand chooses the wizard, you can't expect him to get far on what, an old Unicorn Hair core, is that correct?"

Ron's previously sad eyes were suddenly snapped open, "Do you really mean I can get a wand Mr. Ollivander?"

"Course boy, in fact…" The wandmaker trailed off and headed to one of the back racks where he selected an old box from the shelf and brought it to the front of the store,

"Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, dragon heartstring core, I think this is satisfactory for you Mr. Weasley."

Something was obviously perfect about that wand, because as soon as it was in his grasp, wild red sparks floated throughout the room and a warm rush of air was cast upon the twelve occupants.

"Bloody 'ell."

"My thoughts exactly Ron." Mr. Ollivander smiled at the boy, "Who's next, Harry, my boy, step up."

After waving his wand to make his tape start measuring him Harry started uncontrollable giggling at the sensation.

Suddenly Ollivander jumped off the ladder he was standing at and a variety of boxes started following him to the boy.

"First one, Pine wood, twelve inches, unyielding, unicorn hair core."

When Harry picked up the wand Harlow held her breath, but let it go meer seconds later when Ollivander snatched the wand out of his hand and replaced it.

"Silly me, I wasn't listening, Holly Wood, eleven inches, Phoenix Feather core."

Before Ollivander could even give the wand to Harry, the boy had grabbed the wand out of the box. With it in his hand the wand emitted a warm golden glow throughout the room.

"Very good Mr. Snape." Ollivander said, and then eyed Harlow curiously.

Harlow had gone pale. Looking at the effect each wand had on her friends made her scared of what would happen. What if that didn't happen to her?

"No need to fear Ms. Snape, every wizard has a wand somewhere in this shop."

Slowly Harlow handed Beatrice to Fred and walked up to the platform and stepped up.

The measuring tape flies up and starts taking measurements.

Suddenly, however, the measuring tape falls and makes a hollow thud as it hits the floor, but it wasn't the tape. Harlow looks at Ollivander, and where he is looking at a wand box that has escaped from the middle of one of the shelves lining the back room.

"Well, Ms. Snape, it seems like your wand has a strong personality."

Everyone laughed, besides Harlow who was staring at the box as Ollivander went to pick up the box and bring it over to her.

"Let's see Ms. Snape English Oak wood, thirteen inches, Dragon Heartstring core. Funny, the match of Holly for your brother and English Oak for you. Both trees kings of the forest for time, then bowing to the other."

But Harlow wasn't really listening to the old man's muttering, she could practically feel the magic radiating off of the wand in front of her. She tentatively moved her hand up to pick up the wand. There were small stars lining the gentle looking handle. As soon as her fingers grazed the wand she felt a blast of electricity course through her body. And as she picked up the wand she watched and felt as though a breeze had entered the room, and an eloquent silver gleam burst from the wand and shone across her face and the people standing around her.

"Ms. Snape, I think we've found you a wand."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Clock Strikes Two

After their successful shopping trip the group found their way back to the Burrow and they sat around the table talking and laughing after eating a great meal that Molly made.

Soon enough though, the events of the day hit like a train, and Ginny could barely keep her head out of the slice of pie in front of her.

"I think it's time for us to take our leave." Severus said, earning a nod from his wife who stood up to thank Mrs. Weasley for the great time.

"See you guys for my birthday." Harlow had barely put down Beatrice the whole night, but she didn't mind as both of her best friends kissed her cheeks and wished her good night.

She held her even closer in the network, the kitten not liking it and digging her small claws into Harlow's stomach.

Harlow made sure she was comfortable in her crate before lying down, an almost immediately she fell into a deep sleep, with dreams of magic and green banners running through her dreams.

* * *

The twins' birthday was always a grand affair.

They woke up to their mother and father waking them up with a glass of chocolate milk and plate of pancakes, their favorite breakfast that only for one day were they allowed to eat in bed.

The two parents even partook, sitting in the bay window seat eating their own breakfast while they had random conversation.

Then they were given a few presents each from their parents, Harlow received a new jumper, a beautiful silver collar for Beatrice and a journal, beautiful and leather bound with a flower pattern carved into it.

Harry got a matching jumper, along with a Chudley Cannons shirt and poster with the seeker on it.

Then they exchanged gifts from themselves. Harlow got Harry a book on quidditch history that he had eyed in Quality Quidditch Supplies and Harry got Harlow a set of potions ingredients not on the first year ingredient list but that, by his father's suggestion, she could use for potions she wanted to do for fun.

Needless to say, but they were both ecstatic about their new gifts.

The family spent the morning doing whatever the twins wanted to do. For Harry that meant quidditch, the one time his mother would let him use the snitch his father had gotten as a gift for him when he had been born, 'my son will be a seeker' he had said.

Lily would stand at various points in the yard, releasing the snitch randomly and letting her son chase it, only getting a little sad at the reminder of her late husband as her son who looked so much like him caught his snitch everytime.

Harlow sat on a lab chair watching her father. Her copy of her first year potion book opened in front of her. She took time crossing out and rewriting things her father said could be improved about the recipe. She wasn't allowed to participate in the physical brewing, but she watched with intensity as her father explained why each movement was important.

Severus knew his daughter would thrive in his class. Loved watching her take in everything, and even make her own suggestions when he would purposely leave something out to see if she caught it.

Then around one they would go to the Burrow, everyone's favorite place.

For awhile it was as though everything was always the same. Harlow greeted the twins with a kiss on each cheek and ran off to scheme or something, Harry ran off somewhere with Ron to talk about quidditch, the adults would stand around the kitchen and the rest of the children floated around between the groups.

Then they would all get together and go outside to play quidditch, the adults acting as referees.

The teams were always the same.

On one team, Ginny acted as chaser, Harlow as Beater, and Ron as Keeper

And on the other George was chaser, Fred as beater and Harry as Keeper.

The teams were fairly well matched, each getting a few goals off the other with a bit of a struggle, of course Fred and George were the only who had played at a school level so they were stronger than the rest, Harlow and Ginny put up a fair fight against them, Harlow even managing to knock Fred clean off his broom, where he was caught by his mother and she was given a penalty.

"I told you I could do it!"

As he sat rubbing his shoulder Fred scowled up at her, "I let you do that!"

Harlow laughed and flew up towards another bludger, "sure you did Weasley. Sure."

And the day went on, every moment special to the twins, from the dinner Mrs. Weasley prepared every gift they were fortunate to receive.

Along with what he had gotten that morning Harry got a hand knitted scarf from Mrs. and Mr. Weasley and a set of sweets from the children.

Harlow received the same, except the twins had whispered that they had one more gift for her that they would give her later.

That turned out to be a set of friendship bracelets. Ones like what they had made themselves when they were children but they were enchanted so they could write notes to each other.

"We though since you'll be holded up all day doing dark magic with the Slytherins,"

"Very funny,"

"We can use these to give a signal as to when to meet us."

When she looked closer Harlow could see it was just a series of three black bands, but when she touched one it turned green, and when she looked over to the twins their top band had also turned green.

Then Fred touched the middle one and her middle band turned red. And Geroge's did with the bottom one.

"And if I don't get into Slytherin."

"If by some random coincidence you don't we can change it, but you'll definitely be a Slytherin."

"Well, thank you. We'll have to come up with a meeting point that we go to when we send out the signal."

"First thing when we get there."

"Promise."

That night when the family left Fred and George eached kissed one of Harlow's cheeks and whispered, "send us the signal tonight when you go to bed, so we know it works long distance."

"Sure thing. Thanks again, this is the best present."

"No problem."

"Happy birthday."

That night in bed Harlow looked at her wrist and touched the top band of her bracelet.

Nearly immediately Fred's band lit up too, George's coming along after a moment.

"What are you looking at, Harlow?"

"Nothing. Just a gift from Fred and George."

"Oh, that's cool."

And though Harlow knew she wouldn't see her friends until school started for the year, she knew that she would keep them with her everyday, and suddenly she didn't feel so alone.

It was awesome.

* * *

Finally, the day arrived. The day that Harlow and Harry had been waiting for for a long time.

Their first day of school.

They spent the better half of the morning running around to try and find the last of the things they needed for school, and being the klutzes that they were, fell down quite a few times while in a craze.

"Would you two stay alive at least until you are not my responsibility."

"Sorry mum." They responded in unison.

"It's time to go, are you both ready?"

"Yeah mum." Harlow said stacking Beatrice's carrier on top of her trunk. The cat, under the careful eye and care of Harlow for the last month of summer had grown substantially, and her coat had come in glossy and thick. And now Harlow wasn't as scared to put her in a carrier as she now was as long as both the girl's hands.

There was a sudden mewling and the carrier thrashed around on the trunk. Harlow leans in close to the case.

"I know you don't like it Bea, but you'll have to deal with it until we get on the train. I don't wanna risk dropping you."

The thrashing stopped but there were still a few meows that came from the carrier.

* * *

Soon the small family was at King's Cross Station and they made their way onto platform 9 ¾.

The two kids stood shocked at the sight of the train and all the people running around and saying goodbye to their parents.

They soon spotted the Weasleys and Molly seemed to have them all in a line to make sure they were all there. Her grip on

Ginny's collar was so great that her knuckles were turning white.

"Molly!" Lily called across the platform and she turned and greeted the friend warmly.

The kids ran up to each other, and giving a final farewell kiss to their mothers, trudged their trunks onto the train into an empty compartment.

Fred and George bid their farewell to the first years and promised to catch up with Harlow later, then left to sit with their other second year friends.

Harry, Harlow and Ron sat in the compartment with wide eyes. Harlow let out Beatrice who took her place on Harlow's lap.

Soon the train started and normal conversation flowed between the three friends.

The the door to the compartment opened and two new faces appeared.

They recognised one.

"Neville!" Harry greeted their friend happily.

"Hey guys. This is Hermione, she's helping me find my toad."

"You lost him?" Harlow chimed.

"Yeah, he just got away from me."

"Don't lie Neville." The girl, Hermione piped up," Some greasy looking blonde kid scared him and he dropped him. Neville pulled me away before I could teach him a lesson."

"Greasy looking blonde kid, huh?" Harlow looked at her brother with concern, "Neville, I thought you weren't going to let Draco bother you know that we're in school?"

"I figured I'd let him get away with this one, we're not there yet."

Harlow gave the boy a look and then they all burst into a fit of giggles.

"So Hermione, I've never seen you before." Ron suddenly said.

"Wow great observation, it's almost as if England is a big place, and judging from your accent we don't live anywhere near each

other."

Ron scowled, and turned away muttering something to himself against the window.

"What Ron means is that we know most of the pureblood families, what's your lineage?"

At Hermione's even more confused face Harlow spoke up, "And what my demented brother means is that we know most of the people that come from magical families, is your family magical?"

"Oh, um no. I was told I was something like, a 'muddled blood' or something? The platform was too loud for me to hear them clearly."

"Who said that?" Harlow perked up.

At the girl's sudden motion Hermione jumped back, "Um, just someone on the platform. Why?"

"Mudblood, it means dirty blood, or from muggles, non-magical people. It is a highly insulting term. The correct term is muggleborn."

Hermione's face fell. "Oh."

"Well, don't worry, now you have us, and if anyone gives you any trouble, meaning the other purebloods cause no one else would ever care, they'll have to get through us."

Her smile then returned, "So, you're all purebloods?"

"All of us but my brother, his father's a pureblood but his mother's a muggleborn. So he's a half-blood."

"You have different parents?"

"That is a story for another day, but for now, just know this is Ron Weasley, you obviously know Neville Longbottom, This is Harry Snape, and I'm Harlow Snape."

"Snape? I've heard that name, yes, during my research, are you related to Severus Snape?"

"Yep, he's our father, but don't think you'll get any special treatment for befriending us." A smug smile played on the twin's faces, "We don't even know if he'll let _us_ off the hook. So, you're pretty smart, huh?"

Hermione let a smile slide onto her face, "I was top of my class until I got the letter I was a witch."

"How much reading did you do in preparation for school? I assume you got the reading list early so they could explain everything to you and your family?"

"Yeah, I started with introductory stuff at the beginning of the summer,but," the smile on her face lit up in excitement and wonder, "I really liked the reading I did on ancient runes, so I got a few more books delivered to me and they were really interesting."

Harry looked at her in shock, "Ancient runes!? Harlow hasn't even started that!"

Harlow looked at the girl with the same expression, "Actually I have, but I had no clue what any of it meant, you understood it!?"

Hermione raised her chin, in a proud display of intelligence, "I did, it was sort of like the translation of hieroglyphics we did when we learned about the Ancient Egyptians in class, so I put it together pretty quickly."

"Wow," Harlow said, still looking in wonder at the girl, "That is seriously impressive, I bet you'll be a Ravenclaw."

"A what?"

At that all four of the other children's faces expressed the same shock, "You haven't been told about the houses yet?" Ron asked, as though it were a personal offence.

"Uh, no. I mean, I was told I would be sorted into a house, but I wasn't told what they were or how."

"Well," Harlow started, "until you actually do it no one knows how sorting goes, older students are forbidden from telling, and there are four houses, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. And most students are sorted based on traits they have affiliated with the house, at least, we think so."

"What are the traits?" Hermione leaned forward with a childlike wonder.

"Well," Harry started, "Gryffindors are typically portrayed as being brave. That is what Godric Gryffindor, creator of Gryffindor looked for in students."

"And Ravenclaws," Neville picked up, "they are typically intelligent, Rowena Ravenclaw liked her students to always want to be learning."

"Hufflepuffs are loyal" began Ron, "And kind, like Helga Hufflepuff."

"And Slytherin," Harlow finished, "Well,it depends on who you ask, I like to think of them as ambitious, how Salazar Slytherin originally wanted, but most people, and by that I mean Gryffindors call them cunning and deceiving."

"Why is that?"

"Well they have a little problem," Harlow said, her eyes falling to the floor, "most of the Dark Wizards to come out of Hogwarts have been Slytherins, unfortunately including You-Know-Who. Do you know who that is."

"Yes," Hermione's expression softened, "I do."

"Have you read about the Great War?" Harry asked, his expression too curious for Harlow's liking.

"Yes, multiple wizard articles and a few books as well."

"Well then, you do know my father."

Hermione's gaze widened, "You mean...your father..."

"Died in the war, yes. But my father was James Potter."

Hermione looked at him blankly, then to Harlow, then to Ron, and Neville, and back to Harry.

"You mean to tell me your father is the man who died protecting his child and wife. The one who weakened him enough that he was able to die?"

"That's him. But I don't really see it like that, I mean, he is _technically_ my father, but I never met him, at least not that I can remember."

"That's insane."

"Not as crazy as Harlow's parent's story." Ron said, looking at the rapidly moving landscape outside the train.

"What I know of it at least."

"Who were your parents Harlow?"

"My biological parents were Gael and Emmet del Luna." At the mention of their names Hermione's eyes became wider then they had been even before, "Yeah, I guess I had a similar start to Harry, my parents died protecting me, and were able to kill You-Know-Who in the process. Well, I know really what you do, that is what I can find in books. I was born, they were betrayed, then when You-Know-Who got there one curse was thrown and he died, the blast killing my parents."

"Is that how you got those scars?"

Harlow's fingers went up to her face, "No, it is how Harry got his, my parents won't tell me how I got these except that it happened after the accident."

"Well, your parents were so cool." Hermione exclaimed as soon as her mouth closed, "They were certified heros!"

"Try telling my parents that, they hate when I bring them up."

"They probably just don't want to bring you to any heartbreak."

Harry chimed up before his sister could, "Yeah, but I'm reminded of that day every single time I look in the mirror," Harlow leaned closer to Hermione.

"And besides that,most of our bedtime stories when we were kids from being The Great Adventures of James Potter." Harry added.

"Oh."

Harlow paused for a moment, looking at the girl with a shocked look on her face, "Hey, don't sweat it, at least I got two loving parents out of the war. Some people lost everyone, and remember it. I'm only reminded of a pain I can't remember." Harlow sent a look over to Neville, yes he had his Grandmother, but it wasn't the same, and he still had to see his parents, parents that don't know who he is.

"But everyone should know where they came from!"

"One day I'll get the story out of them, I may have to threaten imminent death, but I'll get it." Harlow chucked and awkwardly the rest followed.

"How did you end up with Professor Snape anyway? And how did Snape and Lily end up together?"

Harlow and Harry looked at each other, they wish they knew, but they didn't know much.

"Well my Papa told me that I got to him Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts and leader of the Order of the Phoenix at the time, put me under the care of our Papa. He then rekindled his relationship with our Mama, they were longtime friends. Our Papa actually introduced her to magic when she was 11. But we don't know the specifics."

"That's such a cute story."

"Yeah, but you have to act like you don't know that."

"Yeah, you'll have to pretend you think he has no emotions."

"Got it, operation pretend Severus Snape is a hard hearted beast is underway."

And they laughed and ate food off the cart and soon enough reached Hogsmeade station.

The first years got off the train and looked around, everyone seemed to know where they were going. Then they heard a yelling, "Right, then! First years! This way, please! Come on, now, don't be shy! Come on now, hurry up!"

The five first years followed the very large man shouting from a little ways down the platform.

Then they were walking towards the water. And then they all got into a boat and were sent off across the lake.

Then they saw it.

The giant castle stretching out across the dark landscape, windows lit up like they were floating, and shining off the lake they were on.

Too soon for the first years, the ride was over and they were being led up the great staircase and into the castle's main hall.

The wide eyed first years eagerly looked at anything they could lay their eyes on, when an old witch walked into the room.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. Now the sorting ceremony will begin momentarily."

The students walked in a mob behind the woman, too stunned to speak, they passed through the doors and into the Great Hall.

There were a few audible gasps as they took in the scene before them. Tables spread seemingly endlessly. Floating candles illuminating everything on site. Students staring back at them. And the teachers.

Sitting at the front of the room, there was an intimation that radiated off of them.

* * *

"Gryffindor!" The Sorting Hat was torn from Hermione's bushy head as she seemingly breathed a sigh of relief. Harry and Harlow exchanged a look, they could tell she was going to be a friend.

"Draco Malfoy." Harlow, Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't stop their eyes from rolling violently.

"Slytherin" The hat said, barely having to touch his head.

"Neville Longbottom!"

Harlow could see Neville shaking as he went up and the hat was set on his head.

"Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindors went crazy for the new addition, but Harlow and Harry couldn't help but exchange a look.

_Really?_

A few more kids went until.

"Ronald Weasley."

Harlow could tell the hat was telling Ron something. Presumidly, 'oh _another _Weasley" by the look of his eye roll. and briefly wondered what it would say to her. The butterflies seemingly turned to dragonflies as they whipped around her stomach.

"Gryffindor."

Harry and Harlow cheered for their friend, as he joined his three brothers and their new friend at their family's house's table.

"Harry Snape."

The hall went silent. Everyone seems to lean forward as if to try to try to hear Harry breathing.

Harlow was not worried, she knew her brother would soon join his friends.

Her she was not so sure about.

The hat had barely sat there a second before calling out, "Gryffindor!"

This was the first student Snape clapped for, and almost, if you were close enough to tell, smile at.

"Harlow Snape."

Harlow's face drained. She couldn't feel anything. She looked over to her father, then down at the ground. She would not rely on him.

Then she slowly ascended the steps.

Sat on the chair.

And felt warmth as darkness engulfed her as that hat slid past her eyes.

"Another Snape, are you?"

"I am." Harlow shot back at the hat.

"You could go anywhere it seems. Should I go with your mother, and put you in Ravenclaw? Maybe Hufflepuff, like your father."

"No, my mother was a Gryffindor and my father was a Slytherin."

"I guess I stand mistaken, Hufflepuff is not in your future. But you never wanted it to be, did you?"

"What does that mean?"

"I read your heart, my child. I know all your secrets, I know your desires, I know how much you want to make your parents proud. All of them."

"But-"

"Harlow Snape, one day you will understand why your story started the way it did, but until then."

"Wait, but I don't know how it started."

"All will be revealed."

It seemed like decades to Harlow, the hat muttering to itself, 'where to put her, what to do', it had felt like decades for the people watching, nearly seven minutes had passed. A hatstall. So they were anxious to see it open it's brim to say,

"SLYTHERIN!"

Harlow opened her mouth in surprise. Her eyes wide.

It had happened.

She knew it was where she belonged.

She jumped down off the chair and made her way to the table. It seemed like everyone wanted to shake her hand.

She looked over to the Gryffindor table, her best friends were on their feet laughing and clapping for her.

She looked at the teachers and saw her dad clapping and _actually _smiling, like for everyone, not just her, to see.

The first thing she noticed though.

His eyes were filled with pride.

* * *

When the sorting finished A great feast suddenly appeared on the table. The first years collectively gasped as the older students laughed at the delight of the first years.

As promised to his wife, Severus stood up as soon as he was done, looked at his children socializing with the kids around them, and went to write a letter to his wife.

_Lily,_

_You'll be happy to know our predictions were correct. Harry has happily taken his place in Gryffindor and Harlow is seemingly happy already in Slytherin. However, I should mention that the sorting hat talked for longer than usual with Harlow. I did, of course, have a feeling this would happen. I do not think there is anything to worry about in terms of what it told her, I can only assume as we believed that she does have very strong Ravenclaw traits as well as Slytherin. I can guess at some point her magic will get called into question. I will let the professors know to watch out for any issues. And Dumbledore suggested that Black and Lupin may be able to help her with her control. I will discuss the matter with them and see what they suggest. I will try to write again tomorrow if the students don't completely take it out of me. I love you. _

_Always,_

_Sev_

* * *

Later on when the students were led to their dorms Harry sat talking with the boys in his dorm and Harlow was being questioned by the girls in her dorm.

"But like, I heard he's actually evil."

"I mean, I don't think he is, but his teacher mode is a little scary." Harlow answered honestly.

"Will he be better to us because of you?" One girl, Pansy Parkinson, asked.

"I doubt it, I think he'd prefer to keep up appearances."

"So like, we can expect nothing less than Hell." Another girl Daphne Greengrass, asked.

"Pretty much."

The girls giggled and laughed, and generally had fun until it was time for lights out. Then they all headed off to their individual beds.

Harlow was amazed by them. The embroidered green bedspread and green silk hangings drew her in as she pulled them back, welcoming the darkness that came from it.

She pulled Beatrice close to her and briefly realised how weird it felt to fall asleep without Harry in the room, and without her mother coming in to bring her her 9:45 glass of water.

Suddenly she felt very alone.

But instead of letting herself wallow she thought of the day, and soon found herself spiraling down the rabbit hole trying to figure out what the hat meant when he told her that all would be revealed.

Would she finally be told about the day her mother died?

Would she be told why her magic acted so weirdly?

Would she find out she had some random family she never knew?

She had no idea.

But she decided that she shouldn't worry and let nature take its course.

And as she turned onto her side and caught a glimpse of her wrist right as her bracelet started glowing red on the bottom line.

She smiled as the middle band lit up soon after.

So she touched her own band and watched the emerald glow mix and make a rather disgusting christmas hodgepodge.

But it was really beautiful.

And she wasn't alone.

So she was able to fall asleep with a smile on her face and a string of happy dreams.

* * *

**AN: Hey y'all. I'm back. It's been a min for this story. I updated the first chapter so if your coming in on the second you might want to take a glance at the first again. Like, I changed the main characters name, no big deal or anything :X**

**Thanks to all the support I've gotten and messages asking to continue this story. I love these characters and it makes me so happy to see people like it. So please review. I love every comment you want to give bad or good. **

**Thanks again and I'll try to get this updated soon!**

**-MaryKatherine**


	3. Chapter 3

**Clock Strikes Three**

The next day there was a buzz in the air as the students clambered out of their chambers for their first day of classes.

As Harry and Harlow sat down at their separate tables they waved at each other and then Harlow waved to the twins.

Soon after they sat down each head of house descended from their table to hand out schedules. As her father approached her Harlow smiled and greeted him.

She wasn't particularly insulted when he gave her a nod and handed her her schedule without a word, it was just weird.

The twins were ecstatic when they discovered the classes they shared.

And they were both beaming at the idea of their first flying lesson.

Soon, after a large meal and a quick glance to their Papa, Harry and Harlow were heading out of the Great Hall in a wave of students. Harry to Charms and Harlow to Transfiguration.

Soon their classes were over and they both left their classrooms in a haze to head over to their first double Potions of the year.

As they entered the dark room that looked suspiciously like their father's lab at home, they ran over to each other and started talking a mile a minute about their first class. All of the students paired up and sat at desks, and Harry and Harlow made their way to the only open bench.

Right in the front.

They were jittering with anticipation as they waited for their Papa and stared at their cauldrons when suddenly the door crashed open, and the man himself swept into the room to the front and said, "There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those-select- few" his gaze pointed towards his children in the front who now had their eyes open in wonder, "who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and snare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."

The students were cowering now. Everyone except Harlow, who was leaning forward, eyes wider than anyone had ever known to be possible, drinking in every word her Papa-turned-professor was saying, almost as though he were an oasis in the desert.

This had been what she loved about her father during the time she spent watching him in his lab, the intensity and importance potions had that could literally give you abilities you would never expect.

It was amazing.

The rest of the class went the same. Students barely manage to do the complicated potion they had been set for the first day as a 'judgment of their abilities.'

However, Harlow's cauldron produced a near perfect copy of the portion, her father commenting that the only thing to make it perfect would be a better grind on her fluxweed.

Harry, on the other hand had mixed up nearly every ingredient, and managed to create a few small explosions.

* * *

As they were walking out of the potions lab Harry turned to his sister, "did you see him, he was so proud of you, he looked so disappointed when he saw what I had done though."

"Don't worry Harry, I'm sure you'll get it eventually."

"I doubt that. Did you hear what he said, I guess I don't have the 'predisposition'."

"Well, I bet you'll be better than me at Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon. Aurors are in your blood."

"I don't know."

"Don't worry, you're gonna be great."

* * *

After lunch that day Harry and Harlow walked together to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

As they walked in, they were greeted by the double professors who stood both invitingly and defensively at the front of the room. Harlow noticed that she had not seen them at dinner the night before.

As soon as the two house's students sat down the smaller of the men spoke, "Good morning class, I'm Professor Lupin and this is Professor Black, and we're here to talk about dark magic."

Harry and Harlow exchanged a look. This wasn't particularly what they were expecting, but they were excited nonetheless.

"How many of you know someone who died in the war?"

_Woah._

Harlow and Harry exchanged a look, like, were they _really _asking that?

But after a beat a few of the kids raised their hands, including Harlow and Harry.

"Well, first let me say for both of us we're sorry, but what we're going to teach you has everything to do with that. We are going to teach you how to avoid something like the War, and how to defend yourself if you end up in a row with a dark wizard."

"Now," Professor Black jumped down off his perch, "we're not going to lie to you. Dark wizards still exist. Even ones who still have loyalties to You-Know-Who, and those who don't, but what we are going to do is give you the skills to defend yourself if you end up crossing paths with one."

"Now how about a demonstration, who wants to help?"

Harlow wasn't surprised when no one raised their hand.

_A demonstration? What are they going to curse us?_

The professor's eyes looked over the small group of students.

"Ms. Snape, why don't you join us up herer?"

Harlow looked at her brother, who at this point looked so happy not to have been chosen he pushed her up to the front.

Harlow wasn't surprised they knew who she was. Though they had not seen the sorting her story was kind of famous, as were the scars she had maring her face.

"Now, Ms. Snape, you are going to pretend I'm a dark wizard." Professor Black said as he stood in front of her..

With the crazy look in his eyes she wouldn't be surprised if he was.

"Now draw your wand."

Harlow reached into her robes and pulled out her wand, she hadn't tried to do any magic with her wand yet, and she could feel it getting impatient as it buzzed in her hand. But Harlow wasn't worried about it.

What she was worried about was the fact that Professor Black had also drawn his wand, and aimed it straight at her.

"Now, Ms. Snape, on the count of three I want you to wave your wand at Professor Black and say "expelliarmus' do you think you can do that?"

Harlow took a look over at the man, and when she saw a reassuring look in his face she was sure she could,

"Yes."

"Do you know what will happen when you do that?"

"No."

"Good, now, one.."

Harlow took a deep breath, feeling the buzzing of power in her wand, "two…"

She watched Professor Black strengthen his grip on his wand, aiming at her directly, _he wouldn't hit her back. Would he?_

"Three!"

With a quick flick of her wrist Harlow yelled out the spell, "Expelliarmus!"

There was a great boom throughout the room as the strength of magic his everyone in the face.

But Harlow was mainly focused on her Professor, who had had his wand blown out of his hand.

Before any of the stunned students could move Harlow came to a revelation, "Expel, arms. It's a disarming charm!"

"Very good, Ms. Snape." Despite his cheery tone Harlow could sense that something was wrong, the look the two professors shared, the look of the other students in the room, something was off.

"Now.." It took a second but Professor Lupin continued his lesson on the disarming charm, or as he called it 'the basis for all defensive spells.'

Harlow couldn't pay attention to the rest of the lesson. Though she had a bad feeling about it she felt amazing.

She walked around life feeling as though she had a little too much magic. And there was always relief when she had outbursts of her accidental magic, no matter how bad the damage from it.

But this, this felt like that times ten, as though she could hold back and wasn't worried for the rest of the lesson she would get overwhelmed by it and hurt someone.

It was the best form of relief.

She wasn't surprised when the lesson ended and the two professors asked her to stay behind to chat. So she turned to her friends and told them she would see them in the Great Hall later as they had different classes for the rest of the day.

When the classroom emptied Harlow turned towards the professors.

When they looked up at her she had the feeling something was wrong.

"What did you want to talk about?"

The two professors looked at each other before Professor Black spoke up, "I know you don't remember this, but we have known you your whole life, you and your brother." k

Harlow looked between the two men, she was sure they had never met, "I'm sorry, I didn't think I knew you."

"Unfortunately," Professor Lupin continued, "we have been busy over the years, we used to visit a lot when you were children, and any time we visit your mother now you are usually not home."

"I'm confused, why are you telling me this."

"We wanted you to know that we have been told about your problem with accidental magic."

Harlow felt her cheeks heat up, "I don't… I mean I still have a few outbursts, but I have it under control."

She wasn't exactly proud of the fact she couldn't control her own magic yet, when everyone else her age could.

"Harlow, we assure you, there is nothing wrong with not having your magic under control, in fact, your mother still had outbursts at this age too."

Harlow scrunched her face up, she couldn't imagine her former aurur mother not controlling her magic early, especially with her father's help when she was young, "Really, she never told me that?"

The two professors exchanged another look before Black spoke, seemingly testing the waters of this conversation, "not that mother, your biological one."

Harlow felt her heart drop into her feet, "You knew her?"

She hated how her voice sounded when she said it, as though she was a child who had gotten in trouble.

"Yes, she was a good friend, especially during the war. Her and your biological father."

Harlow felt her magic build up again, but she didn't really care, "Can you tell me about them?"

Before they were able to answer Harlow knew the answer by the way they both looked at the ground.

Lupin broke the news, "We have been asked by your parents to avoid that topic."

A cup that had been resting on Lupin's desk shattered, spraying tea all over the desk.

Harlow jumped back from the noise, knowing she had caused it, "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean, I-uh."

"Harlow, don't worry, this is not your fault. We know you can't help it."

"I just want to know something, they won't tell me anything, I don't even know what they look like."

"We know, and we assure you one day you will get to know about them, but for now we think we might be able to help you with your problems. How did you feel doing that spell in class today?"

Harlow thought back, "It felt good, like I had control."

"Do you normally feel out of control of your magic?"

"Yes. It's just whenever I get worked up there's like, I don't know how to say it, an overflow and I break something, or hurt someone. I don't mean to but it's like an overboiled pot of water, it's just going to come and I can't do anything to stop it."

"We will help you. We promise, the more you master your magic the more control you will have over your outbursts, and we believe we know why they are happening, but we have been asked by your parents not to tell you until we can be sure."

"You think you can stop it?"

"If we are correct, then yes. If not, we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Suddenly a few students walked into the room.

"Well, our next class is starting soon, and I believe you have to get to the greenhouse?"

"Yes sir."

Lupin scribbled out a quick note, "in case you're late. And don't worry about the magic. One day you'll understand why you have it, until then just accept that you have a little more than everyone else. It's special, really."

Feeling much better after the chat, Harlow headed out of the classroom, being followed by the stares of the sixth year students entering the room, but she didn't mind.

_They knew my parents._

_They can tell me what's wrong with me._

_They can help._

_One day I'll be normal._

_All is well._

* * *

That night at dinner Harlow received a note from her father asking her to come to the labs after dinner that night.

She wasn't surprised, especially after the discussion she had had with her DADA professor that afternoon.

So once she ate, chatted with her Slytherin friends and went over to the Gryffindor table to catch up as quick as she could with her brother and friends before she had to run to the dungeons, promising to meet the twins as soon as she was done outside some tapestry that was also down there. Apparently this was part one of their adventures.

When she reached the classroom she noticed the door closed and knocked quickly three times on the door, the same way she would at home. She took a few seconds before she heard her father call from within to revel in the fact she could see her father whenever she wanted.

"Enter."

Harlow walked in the door to find her father sitting at his desk correcting papers, presumably the summer work of his Newt students as there was a really small pile in front of him.

He didn't look up when he started talking, "I presume you had a chat with Lupin and Black today?"

"Yes."

"And they explained that they could help you?"

"Yes."

"And you accepted their help?"

"Of course I did, you know I just want these issues to stop."

"I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into. I want to tell you something about yourself that you don't know. Your mother and I decided it was time to tell you a little something more about your parents."

Harlow flew forwards and put her hands on her father's desk as she leaned closer to him. His papers went in all different directions as her wild magic bubbled again, "Really? You'll tell me something?"

Her father finally looked up, the papers he was using as an excuse not to look her in the face now gone.

"Come and sit next to me."

Harlow moved around the desk and sat down on a stool she presumed he pulled around for this conversation.

"Now, your mother wanted to be here for this conversation, but given the circumstances we agreed that me giving this to you privately would be best," Harlow nodded, not caring about anything but what he was going to tell her, and a few bottles fell off the supply shelf in her excitement, "As you know, your parents were inexpensible in the Great War. They were the ones who were so hard to kill their death took out You-Know-Who for good. Well, there was a reason they were so special. There is a special type of dark magic, some of the darkest out there. A magical item, it is called a horcrux, have you heard of it?"

Harlow nodded, she had done some reading on magical items, this one being a small but impactful part of the research.

"Well, as you know, horcruxes are a part of someone's soul, which means that if you try to kill someone with one, they cannot really die. Well, the reason You-Know-Who was so hard to kill was because he had six of them. Which we knew, and we were trying to hunt each down to destroy them before we sent someone in to kill him."

Harlow couldn't figure out how this had anything to do with her parents but listened intently.

"Your parents happened to be the people to hunt down and collect the horcruxes."

That hist Harlow like a brick, and she heard a book hit the ground behind her.

"And, as I have explained before, I was a double agent, working with him for the Order, I gave your parents the location of the horcruxes and they went and got them. Then Dumbledore would destroy them. The day your parents died, I had found out the last of his horcruxes was his snake, Nagini. I had assumed but not known. It was the day I found out that Peter Pettigrew gave up the location of both your parents and your mother and James Potter. James was the one able to kill Nagini, and that seemed to weaken him so much that his own blast was the one to actually kill him, killing your parents in the process."

Harlow tried to understand, but couldn't, "I'm sorry, Papa, what does this have to do with why my magic is weird?"

"Your mother had the same problem as you. And it was because of a special type of magic that made them the best for hunting horcruxes."

"What was that?"

"They were animagis, do you know what that means?"

Harlow could feel her face pale, she had done extensive reading on this type of magic, it was always interesting, "Yes, they could transform into animals."

"Good. So they were able to slip into places in their animal form better than a human could, so they went on a variety of missions doing that, gaining You-Know-Who as an enemy on the way. That is why he wanted them dead, because he knew that if they got to his last horcrux he could be killed much easier."

Harlow thought this over for a moment, this is not exactly the information she had always thought she would get about her parents, but it was cool nonetheless. But then something struck her.

"But if he knew his last horcrux had been destroyed, and not by them, why did he go after that?"

There was a pause as though Snape was trying to figure out how to put his next sentence into words, "Well, he considered your parents his personal vendetta, they were the ones to take him down so he wanted to destroy them before anything could happen to him. But his plan that night changed, he didn't want just to kill them, but to destroy their world."

"What does that mean?"

"He wanted to kill you. To keep them alive and know that their child had been killed because of their actions, that was something he figured they wouldn't be able to take."

Harlow paused, she didn't know how to take this information, she was the target, his plan had failed, but how?

"So, how did I end up alive while they ended up dead?"

"Your mother had very similar problems to you. With her magic, never being able to control it, wild and unruly, wreaking havoc on anything when she got emotional. We believe that when she realised that his curse was aimed at her child, her magic got so out of control that she redirected his magic to herself and your father. Saving you while destroying them."

It should have been a shock, her parents killed protecting her, but there was something else that she couldn't help but pause on.

"You mean she never controlled it?"

Her father gave her a look, as though he wasn't surprised that's what she focused on, "No, but that does not mean that you cannot. Your mother never had any help, you have lots of it. I don't want you to worry about what will happen to you There is a lot Dumbledore thinks we can do to help you."

"What does he think it is?"

A darkness fell over the room, the words coming to and dying on her father's tongue, not wanting to give this news to his already fragile daughter who he loved more than anything.

"Is it a Blood Curse?"

Her father could only nod. A blood curse passed from mother to daughter, marking her bloodline for eternity.

It was a lot for the eleven year old to take in, and from around the room a few stools tipped over.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner, your mother and I decided that it was something we needed to wait until you understood."

"No, I understand. Do you want me to help you clean up?"

Her father shook her head, "I'll just magic it all back together, I assume you are being summoned to some stupidity?"

She should have known her father would notice the bracelet at some point, now with two red bends blinking faster and faster.

So all she did was give her father a hug and wish him good night.

"Don't get caught."

Harlow loved that he didn't tell her not to do something wrong, and though all she wanted was to go and close herself in her bed and cry for eternity she knew she had to go meet her friends, so with a quick tap to her bracelet she went off searching.

She knew that the place she was going was somewhere in the dungeons, and close to the entrance to the Hufflepuff dorms, but there were quite a few twists and turns she took before she saw her friends standing in the hallway.

"Took you long enough!"

"What'd your dad want?"

"Nothing, just wanted to know how I was." Though she trusted these two more than anyone she had ever met, she wasn't sure she was ready to get into it tonight.

That night in the kitchen made up for how horrible she felt. Her two best friends always knew how to cheer her up, even if they didn't really know she needed it.

The twins did, though, being on the same wavelength as the girl since they had met they knew something her father had said had gotten to her. So they did their best. Pulling out all the stops to cheer her up. Introducing her to all the elves, giving her a run down of the best places to hide and prank in the castle, and finally, showing her the Marauder's Map.

Her eyes went all over the map, seeing her brother in Gryffindor Tower, her father pacing around his lab, all the Professors getting ready for the night in their own quarters.

It was awesome. And by the time she was ready to fall over in exhaustion her spirits had been lifted, and she very nearly forgot that she had been told she had a blood curse a few hours before. And she realised she wanted to tell someone, and who better than her best friends.

When they were safely in the hallways, and far away from any living soul, according to the map, Harlow decided to speak up, "Can I tell you guys something?"

Her tone made them both stop, suddenly serious as they could possibly be, "Yeah,"

"Of course."

"I have a blood curse."

Fred and George could only blink at the girl, "What are you talking about?"

"My Papa just told me, that's why I can't control my magic, my mom had it too."

"What does this mean?" George's voice was a little more scared sounding than he would have liked.

"I don't know, but Professor Black and Professor Lupin are going to help me try to control it. I guess we'll go from there."

By then they were standing outside the entrance to Slytherin, and they suddenly wished more than anything that their friend was a little more like them.

"So you're going to be okay?"

"I don't know, but I think so."

"Than we'll take it one day at a time."

"Thank you, though, for tonight, it was a weird night, this cheered me up."

"All in a day's work."

Suddenly all three of their smiles were restored, and with a quick kiss to each of her cheeks the twins were off towards their own common room.

Somehow, Harlow was able to go to sleep that night with a smile on her face.

* * *

**AN: Hey guys. Hope you liked this chapter! Pls. Review I love hearing what you guys think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Clock Strikes Four**

A few months into the year and it was suddenly Christmas break. Harlow and Harry were happy to stay at Hogwarts while their mother came to Hogwarts to spend the Yuletide with them.

They were also excited that the Weasley's were spending their time at Hogwarts too, due to Ginny getting dragon pox, surprisingly the first Weasley to get the condition.

The afternoon, after lunch when everyone was gone Harlow and Harry shivered on the steps of the castle for their mother to appear.

Soon a carriage drove up to the castle and the bright red head of their mother stepped out of the carriage.

The twins ran down the stairs, and in her excitement Harlow left a series of sparkling purple footprints on the stairs.

"Mama!" As the twins jumped into their mother's arms they were swept up and spun around by the woman who was somehow still able to lift her children.

"My babies, how have you been?"

Though they both resented being called a baby, and the fact that their mother knew exactly how they were from their numerous letters, they started talking a mile a minute about their classes, their friends and their houses.

But soon they were all a little too cold for standing outside and they all held hands as they entered the castle.

Lily really took it all in. She hadn't been back since she graduated, though a quick look around told her nothing about the castle had changed, save staffing.

And she was proven right when a voice rang out behind her.

"Who is this I see? Why it's Lily Evans! Back in the old stomping ground. Though, I suppose it is Lily, Snape, now is it not."

Lily's eyes grew at the sight of the ghost she had loved so much while she was a student, "Sir Nicholas! Good to see you!"

"Let me tell you it is good to see old friends again."

"Same to you, I trust my children have been behaving themselves?"

"Of course not, they are your children. I trust you know how much of a troublemaker your daughter is. And she has caused the oddest thing to happen."

Harlow felt the side eye she was getting from her mother, "And that would be?"

"Peeves, my dear."

Now it was a full blown stare, "What about him, has he been causing her trouble?"

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!"

But they continued, "No, I dare say she has gained the respect of the little demon."

"Respet, Peeves doesn't know the word!"

"I have it on good authority he was seen with your daughter on three seperate occasions where he listened to her and left with a salute to your daughter, and then caused mischief on her enemies."

Harlow looked at her mother, who's face now turned to one of shock and awe as she stared back at her daughter, "Enemies, how do you have enemies, you're eleven?"

"Sorry, I misspoke, I meant whoever Slytherin was going against in Quidditch the next day."

Harlow and Harry simultaneously looked at the ground, they may or may not have left a few things out of their letters.

"You really have that much house pride you're trying to destroy the other team?"

"No, I only mean for him to shake them up. He's never actually hurt someone for me!"

"Just makes it easier for her to knock off their brooms."

Apparently the ghost had not seen Harry waving from behind his mother's back for him to stop.

"What does that mean exactly?"

Harry and Harlow looked between themselves. But Harlow found her way out.

"Wow look at the time," She looked at her wrist where her bracelet from the twins stood, not a watch by any means, "I forgot I have to go help Professor McGonagall clean her classroom before dinner. I'll catch up with you then, see you!"

"We are not done with this conversation! And what did you do to the classroom!?"

"I'm sorry Mama, you're too far away, I can't hear you!"

The woman laughed as she watched her daughter nearly sprint away from the awkward conversation, said goodbye to the ghost that swept away, and then turned to her son to get the story his sister wouldn't give.

"I don't know I wasn't there."

"You know that's not what I want to know, what was Sir Nicholas talking about?"

"I don't know?"

"Do I need to speak to your father?"

"She's playing quidditch."

The woman's eyebrows went up with shock, "How, she's only a first year?"

"The same way he is, dumb luck."

Lily turned as her husband suddenly appeared, and though there was another question flying through the air she couldn't help but swiftly move over to her husband and let herself be wrapped up in his embrace. It didn't even bother her that she could feel him look around to make sure they were not being watched.

"What does that mean?"

She felt his low chuckle from his chest, 'There was an incident during their first flying lesson. It was all good they were defending a friend, McGonagall saw and decided they needed to play. So they gave them the opportunity to try out."

"And there were no better upperclassmen?"

"You;ve seen our children play, do you think there was anyone better?"

Lily smiled to herself, she knew, deep down, there was no one better. They were amazing.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Snape took a deep breath, pulling away from his wife and started leading her and his son towards his office, "Harlow was a little worried you would be upset."

She turned towards her son, "Why? How could I be upset that she did something amazing?"

"Because during her first game, Harlow got a little excited, one of her hits knocked a Ravenclaw off his broom, harder than it maybe should have, he broke his arm. And, well, that made her a little more excited and she ended up knocking over the Slytherin goals. It was an easy fix, I don't even think the crowd knew what happened, but, uh, she thought you may make her stop so she doesn't hurt anyone else."

Lily felt her heart drop for her daughter. It wasn't her fault, and, as they walked into the office she asked her son to give them a moment alone and Harry ran off, probably to go to his common room, she supposed, but she turned towards her husband.

"So it hasn't gotten any better?"

Her husband knew better than to lie to his wife.

"As I said in my letters, it has gotten better, but her being here, being able to use magic, while it has appeared to give her a little more control, everything that happens is very much stronger, you know she would never be able to knock over a quidditch post before, but that day that was the only thing to happen. I really do think Black and Lupin are helping, they think so too."

"They haven't said anything about her being a, you-know-what yet?"

"You know when you say that you sound evil."

Lily could barely laugh at the joke, and hit her husband on the arm playfully, "yes, but really. What have they told her?"

Snape looked over to where his wife stood next to Harlow's favorite couch, "No, I asked them not to bring the subject up to her unless we can be sure. They do believe that if they could find out it might give her the control it gave her mother. It could really help, they think."

"Maybe, I'm just not sure."

"We don't have to talk about this now. Why ruin the holidays?"

"You're right. I want to go explore, do you want to come with me or do you have work."

"I promised the seventh years I'd have these papers back to mail to them at home. I want to get them out before the twenty-fifth. Ruina a few Christmases."

Lily smiled at the man, 'Alright, I'll see you later at dinner."

As he watched his wife leave the room and shut the door behind him Snape felt himself slip into the memories of the night his life changed forever.

* * *

It was night. He was focused and wild as he fled through the streets.

He found out. Somehow, he had found out where she was, that he wasn't really his ally. He had a clue how he had figured it out, of course, but he would never speak ill of someone not knowing if he was guilty, of course. Especially one of her friends.

But now he had to run. She needed to be okay. She had to be if he was to go on living. And when the house came into view and he saw the rattled door, a few windows halfway smashed, he nearly fainted.

But there was no noise, nothing coming from inside the house to prove that anyone was there. No immediate signs of life.

He felt his world go sideways, he leaned onto a car parked right next to him.

And then he heard something.

A baby crying.

Somehow he pushed himself up enough to listen closer.

"Harry?" the name escaping his lips was whispered more as a prayer than anything. If Harry was alive, it must mean he hadn't been there, that it must have been someone here she could fend off. He would not have left the child.

He ran towards the cottage, but when he walked inside he paused.

Everything was destroyed. Everything from the paintings hanging on the wall to the furniture was strayed every which way and trashed. It was a truly scary sight.

But what was worse was what he found on the staircase.

Where James Potter was lying dead.

Snape stopped and stared at the body for a moment. The man who had tortured him, tormented him and nearly made him lose his best friend. He was dead.

He turned back to the living room. There she was. The snake, beheaded and lying on the ground.

He had done it, He had killed her.

But that also meant he had been there.

He could still hear Harry upstairs, even though he was young, he didn't deserve to see this. There was a blanket that was nearly tatters lying on the floor, but it would work. Snape took it and laid it over the figure, enough to hide most of his body from the child. Then he took a deep breath. Thinking now that she must be up there in a similar state to her husband, so as a few tears he hated fell from his eyes he stepped around the man's body and went fully to the second floor.

The door to the nursery was only opened a crack, though enough that Harry's cries could be heard from the street below. He couldn't see anything from the sliver of eyesight he had, but he did see a streak of blood across the otherwise white carpet.

For some reason he couldn't figure out how to lift his hand to open the door, but when he found the strength he found the door creaked and Harry's crying stopped. But what he found on the other side made him lose all chance he had at holding in his sobs.

She was there. Barely moving but holding up her wand in a feeble attempt at stopping whatever intruder had come in the room. When she had seen him though, he was a little afraid that she wouldn't put down her wand.

But then a weak cry crossed her mouth and she collapsed fully to the ground in stereo with Snape's sob. Harry continued his cry.

Snape crossed the room the cot and looked down at the infant, having no idea what had happened except his parents were gone. But he knew this man. He had seen this man many times, so his crying stopped and he held his hands out to the man.

Never having held the child, or any child that is, Snape wasn't exactly sure what to do, but he figured he had to move quickly, so he picked up the child and pulled the woman up and into his side before apparating off the premises and to the only place he knew it was safe.

Or, as close to it as he could get. He was a block away from Order headquarters when he knew they could be cared for. But he bumbled down the street, barely being able to contain the tears behind his eyes as he nearly collapsed under the weight of the two. But then he arrived, opened the secret entrance and went in.

Nearly ten people swarmed him at the moment. Questions firing as they tried to take the figures away from him.

"No, no," he stumbled, "Only Dumbledore."

The people backed off a little, leaving the man to stumble to put Lily on a couch as he held Harry on his hip. The boy had at some point started giggling and playing with the man's hair, which he let him. Just a distraction from the sight in front of him.

Just then he felt a presence behind him.

"Let me through, move-MOVE." Then a hand on his shoulder, "She will be fine, Severous, looks like just a minor curse." Then he took the child from his arms, "And this boy looks sturdy as always." A laugh lit up his voice while Snape tried desperately to breath.

As the boy was passed to another set of arms Dumbledore took Snape into a side room, letting the healers do their job.

Standing in front of him the older man could see the panic in the younger one's eyes, "Everything will be okay, Severous, do not fear."

"Was it Pettigrew?" The question came out strained and foregn.

"Yes. Can I assume a worse fate has begotten James."

Shaking hard Snape nodded his head.

"Is he still there?"

"Yes."

"Was there anyone else?"

"No, just the snake."

"Good, now I need you to calm down and tell me what happened today."

* * *

With a start Snape snapped out of the memory by a firm hand, the same one who had just calmed his former self down.

"Severous, have you been thinking too hard again?"

"What is it?"

"I simply came to inquire as to your wife's whereabouts?"

"I don't know where she is, she went off exploring."

"Is something the matter, Severus? These flashbacks have never happened when you are in good cheer."

"Nothing is the matter. I just have papers."

"Did that feel convincing to you?"

Snape looked at the man he considered a mentor for the longest time, he knew he could see right through him and that there was no use lying to him.

"I am simply worried about Harlow."

"Ahh...and rightfully so."

Snape perked up and gave the man an inquisitive look.

"I should be worried about her?"

"Well, we both have experience with people who are overeager and upset about their heritage, we should both know the consequences of-"

"You are not seriously comparing my daughter to the Dark Lord?" He was mad at this point, was he really going to let the man compare his daughter to a mass murderer.

"We were both at the quidditch match, Severus, we both know what she is capable of. We both know who, or shall I say, what, she is, and we should both understand the consequences, should she not find out her true nature. I hate to say it, but it is a familiar sounding story, is it not?"

"Her mother and I have discussed it and-"

"Have decided that you will know when she is ready to find out, yes...yes. But what if Lily does not want that day to come? What if she is worried what will come of your daughter when the day arrives, and both of you are too blinded by worry to realise?"

"We won't-"

"Severus," The older man's voice suddenly dropped to a whisper, "just because you are afraid does not mean she does not get to be who she is. If she is not allowed to grow your worst fears will come true, and she will not make it to adulthood, I fear she will not make it out of Hogwarts."

Knowing he was right Snape could not answer him, just sat back down in his chair and leaned his head on his hands.

"I will leave you to think. But remember, we hold off teaching students apparation, or even alchemy, there are, however, some things you are never too young to learn."

Knowing he had won Dumbledore left the room, off to find the woman he had come in search of and try to get the same message through to her, though he knew how protective she was, and how she felt about Harlow's magical abilities, and knew she would be a tough nut to crack.

Back in his office, Snape was left back to his thoughts once again, and slipped into the memory he held dearest to his heart, one he did not let himself think of much, but was the most important moment of his life.

* * *

He sat in that bathroom trying to wash the blood off his arms as someone came in to disturb him, he quickly pulled down his robes to cover the mark burned on his arm.

"She's woken up, she's asking for you, can't figure out why."

Snape turned towards Sirius Black standing at the door, "I have to go. Maybe I'll see her tomorrow."

"Dumbledore said you couldn't leave, We're dealing with a bigger problem than you now." As soon as he said that, a second, different child's scream

"It's Gael and Emment's girl. He went there after Godric's Hollow and got them both. We should have watched out for that more carefully."

"He left the child?"

"More like couldn't kill the child, something happened and as soon as we got there one blast took out all three of them."

"One, who was it?"

"Him."

"And there was no countercurse."

"No, he just, crumbled under the blast. We have no idea what happened. Now, today, Lily has lost her husband and nearly her child, she is asking for you so I must insist you go speak to her. And perk up, war's over"

Snape looked at the door, and despite his desperate desire to see her back at her cottage, he couldn't fathom facing her now. It was too difficult, she would ask him questions about what he had seen. He didn't want to be the one to break the news to her. She was so in love with him. But internally he knew no one had told her, it would be up to him.

And she had a right to know, so once Black had left the room he followed the man.

Black led him to the sitting room where a very sickly Lily was lying on the couch.

She sat straight up when seeing Snape walk in the room.

"Sev" her voice was impossibly soft and gritty. Snape noticed how poor of a shape she was in. He waited to respond and looked around the room. Lupin was sitting in a wingback with Harry sleeping on his lap. A few other members of the order were sitting throughout the room.

Then he turned back to the woman on the couch. Her eyes pleading with him.

"I didn't get there in time. I am sorry."

Before the words were even out of his mouth she fell back into the couch, her eyes glazed over and her breathing shallowed. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but he couldn't. It was his fault, she would probably never forgive him for this.

But then the second cry was heard again, along with a powerful shattering.

Without looking back to the couch Snape walked out of the room and back to the entryway where he was greeted with a sight for the ages.

Albus Dumbledore was holding a little girl who was screaming her head off at an arm's length. On the floor was hundreds of shards of porcelain that used to take the form of a vase.

"She's a strong one."

Snape looked at the child, her eyes shut in misery with tears streaming down her face, which left an angry red line down her face as though they were burning her.

He stepped towards her and realised they were.

Her magic was strong, emotional.

"Do you think you have a potion to help the burns?"

"It may help but she may have a scar." Before waiting for an answer Snape turned on his heel and walked towards where he had a stock of potions to fix minor problems the Order might run across. He looked through for a moment before pulling out a salve that would heal minor burns, and left to go back to the girl.

However, when he walked in the door he saw the girl had opened her eyes and taking in the dark figure that had entered the door her crying ceased and her arms shot towards the man.

"Two children want you to hold them in the span of an hour. Never thought I'd see the day."

Something deep inside Snape made him reach out and grab the child from him. She shoved her face into his neck and balanced her in his arms. He quietly coaxed her face from his neck and looked into her face. There would inevitably be permanent scar marks. She would never escape this day. But he balanced the pot in his hands and dabbed the salve onto her face.

The angry red of her face slid away to calm down a little.

"How is she?"

"Not good."

As the phrase came out of his mouth four figures burst through the door. Holding a lifeless form in a tattered blanket.

"Why did they bring him here? She doesn't need to see this."

"I ordered losses to come here first, for confirmation."

Snape sat on the lounge beside him, the girl looking curiously at him and once in awhile doing something that caused a portrait to fall off the wall, or a door to close or open.

Soon there were lines of people coming in and out carrying bodies with them. Snape was able to count seven in total. And taking mental notes as they came in, Gael, Emmet and James were the only parents.

But as Gael and Emmet came through, the girl freaked out in Snape's arms, screeching so loud and high pitched that the room shook, and the lifeless forms were dropped to the ground, and Snape had to brace from falling off the sofa. People rushed to the room, helping get the bodies into another room.

Snape had this weird feeling and grabbed the child, who was literally steaming, and pulling her very close to him, humming a low note to send the vibrations through her body. After a few minutes she was able to stop and calm down, seemingly forgetting why she was upset and going limp in his arms with sleep. He took a moment to look down at the child, he had, of course, met Gael and Emmet before, never the child though, she looked oddly like what he imagined their child would look like. Gael's wild curls coming out of her head, Emmet's freckles dotting the entirety of her face, he had seen both of their green eyes in her while she was awake.

"Want a break?" Snape looked up at where stood at the door frame, "I see this one's a handful, you suppose she has the same as her mother?"

Looking back at the destroyed hallway, he nodded, "Likely." He made no move to move the girl from his arms, however.

"She wants to know where you are."

"It doesn't matter. Once she realizes I let her husband be killed today she won't care."

The man looked over at the man holding the child, and suddenly he was transported back to school and watching as his best friends threw Snape on the ground, enchanting his quills, blowing books out of his hands. Suddenly his heart dropped into his stomach. Though he had always told his friends that what they were doing was bad, and never participated in it himself, he didn't do anything about it. He had never tried to help the Slytherin.

"Maybe this is because of what happened today or something, but I feel the need to apologize to you."

Snape looked up from the child, but didn't say anything.

"I know I never helped you, and well, I saw how horrible my friends were to you but never helped you," he paused and took a seat next to him, "I have to admit, when I, well, all of us, thought you had gone to the other side I thought that that may have had something to do with it."

He kept staring at him but after a beat blinked and spoke, "When I started first year, after I got a feel for how everything was with the Slytherins I started sleeping in the kitchens." Lupin's mouth opened but Snape continued, "I thought everyone who lived in my dorm was evil, the first few days I woke up with different colored skin or all my clothes were replaced with girl's uniforms, somehow they knew that I wasn't connected to dark wizards the same way they were, and to make it worse, the only friend I had wasn't a pure blood, and they hated that. So to get away one day I slept in the hallway, thinking that the prefects could watch over me, one of the elves found me and he took me to the kitchens. They gave me food and let me sleep there. I just kept coming every night. I would only go to the room when I was certain I would be alone. No one else cared though. People just let me go by them with no second look. She never knew. I would never have let her know. But, when James noticed her, and noticed me with her, and everything started, I spent most of my time there. Now it came into the hallways. I thought that the Slytherins didn't bother me in the hallways because they were afraid a professor would stand up for me, but now I had these people doing the same thing to me in the open, no one cared. I thought Slughorn would say something, I was in Slug Club, I was pleasant and top of every class, but not one person said anything, not even Dumbledore who I told everything to all the time, no one said anything. But she did. She was the only person. But then, once I did what I did. She stopped. There was one day, James had gotten all the portraits to hiss at me at the same time, and when I got to the end of the Hall Black was there to trip me. On the ground I looked up and the first person I saw was you. You had a scratch on your arm. It was a claw mark. I couldn't sleep that night, I did some thinking and decided that the night before had been the full moon. It wasn't a stretch until I figured out what had happened. I knew how close you and her were, and I wanted nothing more than to make it up to her."

Snape paused for a second, seemingly trying to find his next words, but Lupin beat him to it, staring at Snape with his eyes wide, "I remember that prank. I didn't want to go, I had had a bad night. But the next month was when I was introduced to the potions that helped me..." The glare going through Snape's skull only intensified, "That was you?¨

Snape looked down at the wall across from him, "Yes."

"You mean you basically saved my life, and who knows how many you saved from the same fate, and you just didn't tell anyone? Not even your best friend?" There was a rush to his voice, and the sleeping child tried to roll over in Snape's arms and both men breathed a little quieter.

"She wasn't my best friend any more. There was a distance. I had sunk to a level too far for me to dig my way out of. There was a permanent distance though she tried to pretend there was not. I thought she would figure it out on her own, she would have normally. But she didn't."

But before Lupin could respond Dumbledore walked back in the door and looked at Snape through his twinkling eyes, "I cleared out the room, so you can have a chat. Remus, do you mind helping me in the dining room?"

Before Snape could protest both men swiftly exited the room and he was faced with a closed door and an awkward conversation. But he knew it had to happen.

So, shifting the child to one arm he pushed open the door to the sitting room. He could feel his heart trying to escape from his chest and could feel his hands shake as he prepared to see her again. He resented it, really. He shouldn't have to feel like this. His entire life he had suffered to make himself happy. Now, after everything he's done, he should really get at least one day of rest from his eternal tourture.

But when he saw her lying there, her son lying on her chest with her rubbing his back slowly over and over, he couldn't help but feel his resentment fade away.

She looked up, and would have sat up had it not been for the child, but her eyes looked the same as they had when she had greeted him before.

But then her eyes fell to the girl, and she smirked in that way she did that told you she was going to make a joke.

"The great Severous Snape, holding a child, who would have thought the day would come."

Somehow, Snape chuckled and was able to find the ability to respond, "You've seen what she can do, don't want to risk waking her up to change hands, she might burn down London."

After a short laugh Lily's eyes darkened, "Same as Gael?"

Snape looked back at the girl, "I can't be sure, but it appears so."

"Shame, I wonder who will take her in, hopefully someone who can give her a chance of seeing thirty." As Lily spoke these words Snape realised something.

"What's her name?"

Lily's eyes snapped up to him, "You've never met her?"

Snape looked back to the girl, "No, you know Gael and Emmet were kept in the dark about me, like most people they wouldn't bring their child near me."

"You do remember you're a teacher, right?"

"Quiet."

"Harlow."

"Huh?"

"Her name is Harlow. She has a middle name but I can't remember. Maybe they'll find a birth certificate at the house."

There was a short pause as both gazed at the girl, and then, seemingly in perfect harmony, both Harlow and Harry stirred, Snape held his breath looking at the girl, not knowing how she would respond waking up, would she remember? How would they stop her outbursts throughout her childhood, if they continued like this they were dangerous.

"How do you think he found out?"

The question hit Snape like a curse, because in his soul he knew the answer to his next statement.

"I can not be sure, but I can guess it is the same way he found out where you were."

"And that is?"

He looked over to the woman on the couch, still with her child lying across her chest, "No one told you?"

"Sev, I can barely remember anything that happened today."

Snape once again set his eyes on the girl, letting her be his staller while he figured out what to say, finally he realised he just needed to say is, "We believe it was Pettigrew."

Snape hated the way Lily's face paled, even worse than it already was, "Peter? But how could he, he couldn't hurt a fly?"

Snape looked at the floor, not sure how she would respond to him keeping secrets from her, "We've known for while that he was working with the Dark Lord. You're right, there is no way he could hurt a fly, but his need for power took over and he decided to give away your location for accolades from the Dark Lord. We cannot be sure about Gael and Emmet at this point, but he was one of their keepers as well so we can assume."

"But why would he have it out for them? When they took him in?"

"Desire for power is a curious thing. Anyone will turn on their best friend if their want is great enough. Pettigrew was a sorry excuse for a person."

It was a curious event, but at that moment Harry and Harlow locked eyes. And Harlow grew so excited she very literally flew out of Snape's hands and landed on Lily's outstretched legs, reaching out to the boy still in her arms.

"Well, out of tragedy comes friendship. These two, scars and all might be friends one day. They're the same age, maybe they'll meet again at Hogwarts."

"That would be a reunion."

"If she can survive that long. Who do you think will take her in, who is powerful enough to deal with these outbursts?"

"I was about to ask the same question."

Both figures then flew to the door, where stood Dumbledore, seemingly knowing their conversation had ended.

"You don't have an idea yet?" Though he knew it to be false Snape asked the question. He knew the man had a plan simply from the gleam in his eye.

"Well, I had an idea, but I wasn't sure if you would go for it."

"How am I supposed to take her when I have a full time job?"

Lily looked bemused between her friend and the man she admired above all.

"Well, I guess I could take her while you are at Hogwarts? Like, co-parenting?"

Snape looked over at the woman with a horrified look, "No you need to recover and-"

"And that is something that will only take a few days, the healers said so themselves. Plus, chasing her around and dealing with her magic will keep my mind off things."

"So," Dumbledore said, very comically slinging his arm around the man, "What do you say?"

And that day started the rest of his life.

* * *

**AN: Hello people of the world.**

**First of all I want to thank everyone for their continued support. All means a lot to me. **

**So I know some people were confused about timelines and general plot points where I diverged from the original canon. I planned this flashback to take place later but thought I would move it up to try and get some of those questions out of the way. **

**Anyway, there will be a lot more to explain everything else so you can look forward to a lot of Snily fluff while they try to figure out their lives co parenting two very special children while navigating feelings for each other/ feelings of regret and sadness. So don't worry there will be a fairly large peek into the twin's upbringing. And a lot more to come with all their adventures in quidditch and pranking. **

**End of long note: please review it means so much!**

**-MaryKatherine**


	5. Chapter 5

Clock Strike Five

Walking to dinner that night Snape knew what he needed to do, so he was pleasantly surprised to run into Black on his way to the Great Hall.

"Your wife isn't with you?"

Snape simply shook his head, stepping now at the same speed as the man, "I have to ask you to do something for me."

"The great Severus Snape needs my help?" Snape scowled at the man before continuing.

"I think she needs to know."

Black stopped in his tracks, this was not something he thought the man would ever tell him.

"You think she's ready?"

"I think she was always ready, her mother and I were the ones who were not."

A silence fell upon the pair as they entered the hallway to the Great Hall, and the man paused to press a potion into the Defense teacher's hand.

Black looked into Snape's worried eyes, "We'll do it tonight, She'll be okay."

"Thank you, Black."

And they went to dinner, Snape was worried, should he have spoken to his wife about this, yes. But what Dumbledore had said was true, it was not his place to hold his daughter back because he was scared. He would let her be who she wanted - needed - to be.

And then a figure turned the corner.

* * *

Lily had been engaged in an argument with a particularly enthusiastic portrait of a purple robed wizard when Dumbledore found her.

"I will have you know, Geoffrey, she has never gone back on a belief." At the headmaster's voice the wizard in the painting back away and could be seen sulking through the adjoining paintings.

Lily smiled up at her old professor, her old commander, a man she would go through hell and back for.

"Albus!"

"You know, my dear girl, I never realised just how amazing you were until I was able to see your children. You did good there.:

Lily smiled, "I hope they haven;t been too much trouble."

"You mean your daughter?"

Lily smiled shortly, "Harry can have his moments as well."

Dumbledore gave the woman a look, just knowing which Weasleys her daughter was closest with made her know that one of her children would be significantly more likely to cause trouble than the other.

"We should, however, head to dinner. I figure you have lost track of time?"

Lily looked down at her watch, she had, in fact, not realised the hour, she had left to explore nearly two hours beforehand, but there was still so much to see.

The two took their time walking towards the Great Hall, Conversation flowed freely, though they were old friends they saw little of each other, save for a few visits over the years when her children would stay with friends overnight, or the once a year dinner party Dumbledore threw at his own home for Order members.

They were nearly to the Great Hall when they heard voices.

"You think she's ready?"

"I think she was always ready, her mother and I were the ones who were not."

"We'll do it tonight, She'll be okay."

"Thank you, Black."

Lily could feel the eyes of Dumbledore on the side of her head. But all she felt was pure terror.

"Can I assume he has not discussed this with you?"

"Yes."

The conversation dropped. But the silence that fell between the two was tense. Blind fear seized the woman to the point she couldn't believe she was still walking.

She could tell her husband was lingering outside the door to the Great Hall. So letting her fear guide her she turned the corner and faced her husband, who upon realising who was standing in front of him had a look of terror on his face.

"Lily I know what you're thinking."

"Are you insane? We discussed this. She isn't ready-"

"But what if _she _is, and it's just us stopping her?"

Lily took a deep breath, which angered Snape, wishing she would just yell back at him, "Severus, she is _eleven_. I don't care what you think, she isn't ready to deal with anything. She only learned to tie her shoes in July. And you want her to deal with extreme magic?"

"But it's only the test, and besides, if it's positive she _should_ have been dealing with this already. Really, it will only help her."

"Until it's negative and she has another outburst because she's upset she isn't more like _them._"

Severus looked at the crazed look on his wife's face, "You don't have to say it like that. She is our _daughter_. Finding out things about Gael and Emmet won't make her any less our daughter, in case you haven't realised, they are dead, they're not coming back to challenge us any time soon!"

Dumbledore took this moment to come round the corner himself, "I think that is enough, you two. I think it is time that your daughter figures it out herself. Give her a little faith. I have a feeling she will come out with her head intact. Now, I am ready for dinner, if you two would follow me."

Though they knew this argument would carry into the night, the two followed the older man into the Great Hall.

* * *

Harlow may have pulled off the best prank of her life.

She was now cleaning it off the walls but she thought it was worth it.

In her final transfigurations class of the term, Harlow had been able to change every quill in the room with one that exploded as soon as someone tried to write. She had done it one by one, after a few students fell victim everyone was weary while going to write. And one by one they fell victim to the girl.

She had, of course, tried to cover up the fact that it was her by also covering herself in the ink, but it had not worked.

She was, after all, the only one in the class smart enough to come up with the plan.

So she had to spend her first day of break scrubbing the ink off the walls, floors and desks where it had stained, which was significantly harder over twenty four hours later when it had already dried.

Dinner had already started when McGonagall declared the classroom clean, so the two of them went down to dinner together. Harlow was able to keep the conversation the whole time with questions about class. And McGonagll couldn't help but notice that, like her best friends, though she may be a nuisance in class she was incredibly bright. She had also noted that though the beginning of term had been exceedingly hard with random magical problems, she was seemingly able to now channel that into doing extremely advanced magic, notably being able to do transfigurations she wouldn't learn until third year.

Knowing she didn't hear it enough, McGonagall decided to voice her thoughts.

"You know, Harlow, I have been very impressed with you in class recently. You're doing very well in class."

Harlow wasn't really sure why she was saying this, "Thank you?"

The professor laughed at the girl, "I do mean it. I'm sure with all your troubles you don't get praised enough, Despite your...antics," Harlow couldn't help the grin that crossed her face, "you do seem to put pride into your work. You may be my best student. A hard feat for a Slytherin to beat a Ravenclaw."

Harlow smiled, "Well, you know Slytherins, we want to be the best."

"But most don't want to put in the work, you do. And that is what makes you succeed. It's what makes you a great Slytherin, like your father."

Harlow smiled. She liked being compared to him. Especially now that they shared something Harry would never, a house, she felt more like his daughter than ever. But she couldn't help the question that came to her mind.

"You knew my parents, right?"

"They were my students, yes."

"What were they like in class?"

It wasn't necessarily the question she thought it would be, but she new at some point the girl would start asking questions.

"Well, your mother was a Hufflepuff, she acted very much like one in classes. Always wanting to work in groups. Helping her friends with whatever they needed, she wasn't great at transfigurations, and it was made worse with her magic, of course. There was something we called the 'Gael Specialty."

Harlow took a moment to laugh at the name, "I assume the other Hufflepuffs came up with that one."

"You would be correct," the witch replied with a light smile, "it was when she got so mad at an object she couldn't transfigure it blew up. Quite sad, specifically when we were working with animals. But quite funny on inanimate objects."

"So she was like Seamus?" There was a grimas behind her smile as she asked and pictured her friend blowing up anything he could try and transfigure.

"Yes, except Seamus is simply inadequate, your mother was a master of theory."

"And my father?"

McGonagall paused to think of what she should say about him, "You father, well, he was quite the opposite. A Ravenclaw through and through he was. Transfiguration was one of his great strengths. Being an animagus helped, of course, he was top of his class every year. Top Transfiguration O.W.L. and NEWT. I believe he was also top of the class a few years, including his last year. He was defined by his brain, as many young Ravenclaws are."

Harlow let that sit in silence. Her father was smart, it wasn't something she hadn't considered, him being a Ravenclaw and all. But it was interesting, ,she had never thought he would be _that_ bright.

"And of course they were both a menace on the quidditch pitch. No doubt where you got that from."

"Not my father, certainly."

The two chuckled

"And I have to say, once they became friends, that is, off the pitch, I did notice a change in your mother. Her magic calmed down. That is how I knew they were a good pair. He calmed her down, let her take control of herself."

Harlow thought for a moment, she had never really thought of her future romantic relationships, "Do you think something like that will help me, down the line I mean, I am only eleven."

The old witch smiled at the girl, so desperate to be normal, "My dear you already have that."

This was news to Harlow, "I don't follow. Again, eleven."

A breathy chuckle accompanied the witch's reply, "They happen to be summening you, my dear."

Harlow pulled her wrist up. She hadn't even felt the vibrations of her friends calling her. Probably wondering where she was.

"They help you, as much as you don't realise it."

"I still don't understand."

"Has one of your pranks ever gone wrong because of your magic?"

Harlow had to stop walking with the revelation. It was true, she never had random outbursts with the twins. Sure, emotional ones, but the random ones that she encountered and caused her so much trouble in class never affected her with them.

"As much as they cause me problems, they give you the gift your father gave your mother, a sense of calm that inexplicably allows you control."

The rest of the walk to dinner was silent. Harlow thinking about her new revelation, and wondering what it would mean for her future.

* * *

Dinner was uneventful, comparatively.

There were so few people at Hogwarts that they all fit at one table, while the other three had been taken away to make room, even the professors sat at the table, at least, those besides Lupin, who Black said wasn't feeling well and would take his dinner later.

Harlow knew they were trying to be smooth about it, but she noticed her father shoot a glance over to Black, who then turned to her. He was close enough to her that he didn't need to do more than lower his voice to project his message around Fred who sat next to her, "Harlow, you'll come for a lesson tonight?"

"Do you think Professor Lupin will be up for it?" Harlow was curious, would it only be Professor Black giving her this lesson?

"He will be fine, he's just resting. He'll be excited for this lesson though."

"Okay. I'll be there."

As she looked back at the rest of the table she couldn't help but notice her mother scowling, if trying to cover it up, unsuccessfully.

"Mama, are you okay?" Harlow knew hew mother worried very often, and very easily.

"Her mother smiled down at her, in a way that for some reason made Harlow feel inferior, "I'm fine sweetheart, just had a funny thought."

She didn't believe her, but Harlow dropped the topic as Fred pulled her into a conversation on the best woods for beater bats with Wood, defending her own vibrantly as the captain tried to tell her otherwise.

Everything was relatively normal.

* * *

That night, after running around with her brother and sneaking around just for fun with her best friends Harlow went down to the Defense classroom to meet with her professors. She knocked quickly on the door, hoping not to disturb Lupin had he not recovered since she had made the arrangement.

"Come on in Harlow!" She heard Professor Black call from inside.

She opened the door and stepped inside to find Professor Lupin quickly closing a wardrobe and turning around to her.

"Hey kid." he greeted her.

"Hi professor, how are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you. Now, tonight we are going to have a special lesson tonight. One we've been waiting to have for awhile."

"Why is that? What are we doing?"

Over the course of the term they had shown Harlow a variety of advanced spells, the last three of which were spent trying to produce a patronus, something she had been told was magic most Hogwarts students would never be able to produce. She had been close, so when she was called tonight she simply assumed they wanted to continue from two nights earlier.

"We've been given permission by your parents to finally try something, test a theory most of us have about you."

Harlow simply looked at Black, she really had no idea what the man was talking about, "what about, something to do with my curse?"

"Kind of, you remember how your parents were animagus, right?"

"Of course." It wasn't something Harlow had forgotten easily, something she had asked the professors about time after time until they gave her small bits and pieces about their gifts.

"Well, when your mother was at Hogwarts, there was a theory they had about her magic, before they learned about the curse, something your family had kept from her." Black tread lightly, as though he didn't know how to tell her what he was trying to.

"Well, your mother did not know about her form until she was nearly thirteen. It was the reason most people thought she couldn't control her magic, her form was aging, reaching...uh...maturity, and couldn't come out, it was unable to take over her body fully."

"Why? Don't most animagus present as childhood accidental magic?"

"Yes, as was the case with people like your father, but the curse held back the animal form from your mother, something they would learn later."

Harlow began putting the pieces together in her mind, but didn't want to speak the words she believed out loud until she was certain.

"We believe that might also be the case with you."

_Boom._

Harlow didn't even flinch as the cabinet Lupin had been looking in when she came fell over.

"You think I'm an animagus?"

"We believe you might be. We can't promise anything." Lupin was choosing his words carefully as he looked over to the cabinet, making sure it did not break or get opened.

"How can we know?" Harlow was ready, so excited that there might be a part of her that connected to her parents. And turning into an animal would be so cool.

"There is a potion, one your father has already given to us, it forces animal forms to escape. But we have to emphasize, it is a highly unpleasant potion to take, we don't know how you will act under for the first time, we may need to bring you back with another potion, you may not even have a recollection of it. What do you think?"

"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!" Harlow shouted jumping out of the seat and throwing her arms up in the air. "I don't care that it'll hurt. I want to do it now!"

"You are your mother's daughter."

At his words Harlow stopped to think, which mother did he mean?

It didn't matter, but she kind of hoped he meant Gael.

* * *

That night, under the influence of the very strong potion Harlow destroyed the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, mind, in a way she never had before. And after the girl was brought down to the hospital wing and they made sure she was taken care of Black and Lupin had a small conversation while piecing the classroom back together.

"You think this is the right thing?"

"Don't worry, Moony, I don't think this can hurt her any more than it hurt her mother."

"It killed her mother."

"Quiet, you know what I mean."

Lupin looked at the ground quite cross, after seeing what he did he couldn't help but think of himself, powerless under the influence of the wolf.

"You've read the lore. I think you know what it means as well as I."

"Yes, Gael."

"Gael."

They cleaned until early morning, when they went to the Great Hall for dinner and let anyone who needed to know the status of their daughter, sister and friend.

* * *

When Harlow woke up the next day, she was blinded by a beam of sunlight from the window above her bed.

_This is not my room. _Was all she could think.

She was in the hospital wing. Suddenly her head started throbbing as all the memories came flooding back, the pain, so much pain.

But she didn't know the outcome. She needed to know. So she stood up.

That made it worse, she tried to grab the stand next to her bed but it just made everything worse.

Then Madam Pomfrey came into the partition.

"Harlow, my dear girl get back into that bed. Dear me, why would you try to stand up?"

"I need to… talk to Professor Lupin, or Black. One of them." She stuttered as she tried to make sense of things. As the nurse led her back into her bed she noticed Beatrice sitting contently at the end of the bed, looking concerned, even for a cat.

"They were the ones who brought you. What experiment were you doing? Despite your condition they told you the results were positive. Do you know what that means?"

Happiness flooded Harlow all at once. And she noticed scratch marks down her arms.

She was an animagus. Like her parents. Like them. Something about her was like them. Her parents couldn't take this away or hide from her.

"Yes I know what that means. Thank you."

"Now, will you just lay down and go to sleep."

"Yes...yes sorry. But if anyone comes can you wake me up, my brother, my dad," then a question flashed in her mind, "Do they know I'm here?"

"They have been made aware, your family was here not too long ago but they were called away. Those fiends of yours as well, they will be back soon I'm afraid."

"Fred and George?" Harlow couldn't help but laugh at the title she had used for them. They have landed quite a few students here.

"Yes. They simply stepped out to get something to 'cheer you up.' I dare say I am worried about what it will be."

"I promise I'll make sure they don't make anything explode."

The witch merely smiled at the girl and set off to her tasks.

Harlow layed back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

She was like them.

She was perfect.

* * *

She must have fallen back to sleep, because when she opened her eyes Fred and George were suddenly sitting next to her.

"Harlow! Merlin, what the hell happened last night?"

"Give her some space, Fred, how do you feel?"

Harlow blinked a few times, the dizziness she had felt standing before came back, but she was sitting down. Besides that, she felt no pain.

"I'm okay," her voice came out in a scratchy way that made her words null, "a little dizzy but that's it."

"Your parents nearly had a fit when they got here. Black and Lupin were here, saying you were fine, but you were covered in bruises and bleeding scratches. It looked like a dog had got you."

"Well, it was something like that."

Fred and George exchanged a look, "Black let you see his form?"

Harlow looked at her friends, not sure she had heard them right, "What do you mean?"

"Him, as the grim, you didn't know?"

"Black an animagus! He'll never let people see him, did he change before you saw him?"

"No, it wasn't him at all. But I didn't know that?" Harlow didn't know if she felt betrayed or intrigued. The would be something she thought he would tell her. What made him do that?

But suddenly her thoughts went to Lupin. Is that how he got the scars that marr his face? She had always thought someone evil had given them to him. But if Black had the form of the grim, maybe he had given them to the other. She didn't think that he would, but what other explanation was there.

Then her thoughts went to her own arms. She had given those scratches to herself. Maybe the same was for him. Maybe Lupin was also an animagus? But what animal would do that to himself? _Well, it must be powerful, especially if it took him out of class,_ she thought, _because everytime he misses he has a new mark. Most superficial, but every month, a new scratch or line of bruises. _

And then she thought of something, every month.

It was, every month. For a single day he would not be in class. Black missed some classes as well.

But never after every full moon, as she now realised was the case for Lupin.

The day he took off every month, was right after the full moon.

It could be a coincidence, but what was the chance?

She hadn't realised she wasn't paying attention to her friends chattering until they dropped something in her lap, pulling her from her musings.

"It was surprisingly easy, actually didn't even need something to blow it off."

"Of course we did but we didn't _have_ to. I think that's what really sets us apart, huh Georgie?"

"Our signature."

Finally able to focus Harlow recognised a toilet seat sitting on her lap.

All her thoughts cleared, and suddenly she was laughing so hard she had to sit up at risk of choking.

When she was finally able to pull herself together she sighed, "Well, I told Pomphry I was going to try and keep you from making anything explode. I assume she won't mind as long as no one got hurt."

"What did you get this time?"

Suddenly Black and Lupin walked into her partition, and, upon seeing the toilet seat resting on their student's lapthe two teachers started laughing nearly as hard as Harlow had, which made all three of them laugh.

But soon Harlow asked the twins to let her have a moment with the professors, and after they each kissed one of her cheeks they were off with the promise of returning at dinner time.

When they were out of earshot Harlow turned right to the men in front of her, "What was it?"

"A tigress."

Harlow cocked her head to the side. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't that.

"We want to read you some lore, we think it may clear up a few questions." Lupin could read her like a book, then pulled a piece of paper, old and yellow, out of his pocket, he unfolded the paper and started reading, "A tigress is a large cat that Dementors will not want to cross. A mother tiger with cubs is one of the most patient, protective, self-sacrificing animals that there ever was. The last thing that Dementor will see is an enraged mother tiger charging after it, protecting her cub."

Harlow still did not understand.

"Well, we have reason to believe that your patronus matches your form."

"So you think that my form is, what, my mother?"

"Not necessarily, just a, say, reminisce of her? We have a theory that her death may have imprinted on you, creating a new form in you to kind of, protect you. Do you understand?"

"I think so."

"Of course, it could be a coincidence, but I don't think so." Black spoke, and it was now that Harlow saw a long claw mark around his throat.

"Did I do that?" Her eyes were wide. She had hurt someone. She hated that.

"Yes, don't worry, it is the most minor thing you could have done, it's happened before."

"Yeah, by the way why didn't you mention to me you were an animagus?"

Black had a sheepish look on his face, "Sometimes you have to go on your own journey, and I became one by transfiguration, not the same."

Without responding she turned around and looked at Lupin, who looked back with a curious gaze.

She looked at the corner of the partition that had been ascue, and had yet to hear anyone else, so she assumed they were alone.

"And you weren't going to mention you being a werewolf?"

It was kind of funny, the way her two professors blanched in front of her. She chuckled to herself, she hadn't been one hundred percent positive, but once she had seen his face again, she knew.

"How did you find out?" Black said, seemingly coming back to the world before his counterpart.

"I don't know, I guess I just remembered that all your days off are right after a full moon. I'm very good at astronomy, after all." Harlow had a little chuckle behind her words, she was good at astronomy, if you count anything but constellations, she could never see any type of picture in the endless stars that surrounded Hogwarts.

Lupin blinked a few times before speaking, with a tiny tone of fear in his voice, "You are not afraid of me?"

Harlow laughed, "How could I be scared of you? You're like one of the best teachers here, and your being has nothing to do with me, as long as you don't come after me, which I assume you are not going to any time soon."

Just then there was a commotion outside the partition and Harlow could tell her parents were coming. A wide smile spread across her face, she could tell them who she was, that she was going to get better. She was going to help.

As the curtain flew open the first face she took in was her father's. It was streaked with nerves, but his eyes told a different story, they were proud, Harlow noted, just as they were when she had been sorted, they were happy, and they caused the smile on her face to spread even wider.

She didn't bother looking at her mother before sitting up and sending herself nearly flying at her father, who caught her easily in his embrace.

"I'm an animagus, I'm like them. I can get better." Harlow nearly yelled into her father's neck as she let him rub her back in a soothing manner, noticing the table next to the bed begin to shake.

Then she looked up, the table fell over.

Her mother was fuming. She was mad. _Why is she mad?_

And why was her anger directed at her. Had she done something wrong?

"Mama? Aren't you happy? This is going to help me control my magic."

With no lack of spice her mother replied, "If you must ask no I am not happy. You were not ready for this, Harlow, This is too much magic for you, look what you've done already."

Harlow turned from her mother to the table behind her. The toilet seat had been the only thing spared, hooking itself around the bedpost before falling completely, now handing off the bed. At the noise Madam Pomphrey had come and was not fixing the table quickly while reassuring Harlow everything was alright. But she couldn't help staring at her mother's face. Angered and betrayed.

Why did her father look so proud when her mother was angry.

"Well, I'm sorry, I guess. Professor Blak and Professor Lupin seemed to think it would help, though. And most people are already using their magic like this, I just thought-"

"No, you didn't. You never do think before you do something. Switching quills in McGonagall's class? kidnaping Mrs. Norris? You didn't think before those actions I bet. And now what, stealing a toilet seat? I suppose you thought that would be hilarious didn't you? I suppose there's a toilet in desolation somewhere, where, Prefect's toilets? You don't think, that is why you're always in detention!"

Harlow wasn't sure how to respond when her mother was finished. She had never been yelled at quite like that. But her father answered for her.

"Lily!"

Before she could breath Harlow's mother had turned around and left the room.

"She doens't like it? What's wrong with it, why doesn't she think I'm ready." Harlow's eyes clawed to her father, trying to extract an answer.

Of course Snape knew the answer, but couldn't burdon her with the answer, so instead he kissed the top of her head and looked up at the nurse, "Any chance I can spring her out of here, just to the lab."

"I don't know."

"Please? I'm dying here."

Pomphry didn't look impressed, :so Snape gave another plea, "I'm just going to show her a potion. I promise, she will sit and watch."

That seemed to get her, "Fine, but I want to see you back here tomorrow morning to change your bandages."

With a quick promise and a flurry of grabbing her toilet seat and leaning on her father for support, Harlow and her father left to go down to the dungeons.

"So, are you going to tell me where you got the seat from?"

"Fred and George, they blew up a toilet to cheer me up. I don't know where, could've been the prefect's toilets."

A low chuckle found its way to her father.

"What form did you take?"

"A tigress."

Lifting her up to avoid a trip step Snape took a moment to think. He knew what it meant, and Harlow knew he knew, but he thought he should comment, "That makes sense. A disaster with stripes."

Harlow hadn't even thought about it, but his words brought her back to when she was seven years old, and had written to her father at Hogwarts that a boy at school had made fun of the scars coming down from her eyes by calling them 'stripes.' He had told her to make it an asset, pretend she were a zebra, or a tiger and act like her wild self.

Involuntarily her hands went up to her face. Her scars were so a part of her life she barely ever thought of them, until someone stared or commented on them.

"Stripes."

It wasn't long until they got to the dungeon, even with weakened strength Harlow walked fast, any lesson with her Papa was a good one.

He was halfway through teaching her about Felix Felicis when he said something odd.

"Nothing happened."

Harlow looked at the cauldron, something certainly was happening.

"I don't understand."

"When your mother yelled at you. You were upset, but nothing happened."

Harlow thought back, she had been upset, and figured she hadn't heard the crash or something, but nothing had done anything out of the ordinary.

She gasped, "Do you think that means-"

Her Papa looked and nearly choked on his own words, "I hope."


End file.
